York Technical College will offer more than 100 academic programs to students at no-cost beginning spring 2022. This effort aligns with Wednesday's announcement from South Carolina's Governor Henry McMaster, where he committed to providing current and potential students with the opportunity to attend college for little to no cost with funding support from the State of South Carolina.

At a press conference in Greenville, S.C., McMaster announced the start of the new Workforce Scholarships for the Future pilot program. McMaster has designated $17 million from the S.C. COVID relief fund to provide the State's 16 technical colleges funding to allow students to enroll at no cost. "South Carolina must be proactive in addressing the labor shortage. This funding will take on the crisis head-on by providing thousands of South Carolinians with the skills needed to thrive in several high-demand careers," said Governor McMaster.

The Workforce Scholarship for the Future program creates an environment for student success, giving students every opportunity available and supporting all students' enrollment or return, retention, and completion of a college credential.

York Tech's President Stacey Moore is ecstatic about the scholarship program. "At York Tech, student success is our core mission. The last 18 months have been challenging for our country, our communities, and our students – we aim to do all we can to help our students, community members, and industry partners recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic," expressed Moore. "We are thrilled to offer this gift to the communities we serve – no tuition or required fees to promote educational access, affordability, and success."

York Tech offers a wide variety of flexible classes that students can enroll. The College is taking the responsibility to help generate a skilled group of students to prepare for the workforce. "We want as many people as possible to complete a high-demand credential so that their lives are enriched by achieving their goals, getting a great high-paying job, or moving forward to the next phase of their education," Dr. Moore said.

Registration is now open for the spring 2022 semester at York Technical College. Students are strongly encouraged to enroll by December 10, 2021, to ensure the timely completion of necessary enrollment processes to begin classes in January. Students enrolling in credit programs are required to complete the FASA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and meet additional eligibility requirements. Scholarships are available to all eligible students until funds are depleted.

To learn more about this groundbreaking no-cost initiative or to enroll for spring 2022, visit yorktech.edu/no-cost.