MCCC continues to offer tuition assistance program to help unemployed residents

BLUE BELL/POTTSTOWN » Montgomery County Community College continues to help unemployed residents get back on their feet by offering tuition assistance through its Montco Recovery Tuition Assistance Program.

Assistance through the program is available to any Montgomery County resident who experienced fullor part-time employment loss on or after March 6, 2020, the date of Gov. Tom

Wolf's Emergency Disaster Declaration. Supporting documentation is required.

The program is a valuable resource for many people in the community who need further education or additional skills for employment. During the past year, more than 120 residents have received tuition assistance through this program to help them earn their credential or degree.

MCCC will continue the program through the 2022 summer semester and is currently accepting applicants for the winter 2021 session, which begins Dec. 23, and spring 2022 semester, which begins Jan. 19, 2022. To apply, visit MCCC's website at mc3. edu/MontcoRecovery.

To qualify, applicants will need to enroll in and attend a degree, certificate or financial-aid eligible non-credit program. In addition, applicants will be required to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and any grants or scholarships awarded will be applied before the tuition assistance.

The tuition assistance is available for both part-time and full-time students and is based on the number of credits taken.

· Part-time students taking 3 to 6 credits will receive a maximum waiver of 3 credits.

· Part-time students taking 7 to 11 credits will receive a maximum waiver of 6 credits.

· Full-time students taking 12 credits or more will receive a maximum waiver of 9 credits.

· Students taking financial aid-eligible, noncredit courses will receive a maximum tuition credit of $1,300 (a 9-credit equivalent). In addition to tuition waivers, MCCC also will conduct a Prior Learning Assessment for each applicant to determine whether any courses can be waived or credits applied for prior work experience, education and military training and experience as applicable. By applying credits for prior work or education, students will save a substantial amount of time and additional costs in completing their education.

MCCC offers more than 100 degree, certificate and specialized workforce training programs in over 50 areas of study to help students start new careers upon completion or continue their education at one of MCCC's 30 transfer partner institutions.

For the fifth consecutive year, MCCC has frozen tuition rates for students, making a college education an affordable investment. First-year graduates at MCCC can expect a return on their education investment of 100 percent to 300 percent.