Top 4 Tuition-Free Online Colleges in Iowa

Four free colleges in Iowa are highlighted below to give you examples of how to earn a college certificate or degree for free.

The colleges listed on this page are accredited institutions by the Higher Learning Commission that provide financial aid and tuition assistance options for saving money on the cost of your tuition.

Learn about many opportunities for making college free or reducing tuition costs to make your college education more affordable.

Online Colleges and Universities with Free Courses

See four online colleges below that provide opportunities for you to earn a free full or partial college education.

1. Divine Word College

You can earn a free Associate of Arts degree in theology and mission, intercultural studies, or interdisciplinary studies at Divine Word College through the Good Neighbor scholarship.

The Divine Word College website also highlights several scholarships that you may qualify for to help reduce the cost of your tuition. Example scholarships include:

• the Divine Word College scholarship
• the presidential scholarship
• the Al Hughes scholarship

Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid for more grant opportunities.

2. Iowa State University

Iowa State University offers assistantships, financial aid, scholarships, and tuition reimbursement opportunities to lower the cost of graduate degrees.

Example opportunities include:

• the graduate tuition scholarship
• the Diane Brandt scholarship for women

If you are seeking an undergraduate degree, ISU offers academic scholarships, transfer scholarships, and more. There are also options to take free courses.

ISU's Local Technical Assistance Program offers free web-based training courses through several transportation organizations.

3. Mercy College of Health and Sciences

The Mercy College of Health and Sciences offers different types of aid to help you save money toward earning a bachelor's or master's degree in nursing.

The first step to receiving free college funds at Mercy College is to submit a FAFSA. The FAFSA may qualify you for one of the following:

• Federal Pell grant
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity grant
• Iowa tuition grant
• last dollar scholarship

Apply for external scholarships to combine awards to cover tuition.

4. University of Iowa

The University of Iowa offers several opportunities to its employees for continuing education at a discounted price. Examples include:

• staff members may qualify for the Robert F. Ray $2,000 scholarship
• University of Iowa employees or UI Health Care employees may be eligible for tuition assistance programs that help cover tuition for one college credit course.

Use the Iowa College Aid website to apply for opportunities such as the Iowa tuition grant or the All Iowa Opportunity scholarship.

How To Make College Free

If you live in Iowa and want to make your college education free or more affordable, you need to pursue tuition assistance and financial aid opportunities at colleges that have low-cost tuition rates.

There are about 10 colleges in Iowa to choose from that offer tuition costs under $20,000 to earn a bachelor's degree. The following financial aid and tuition assistance options help reduce costs:

• grants
• scholarships
• tuition reimbursement from your employer
• tuition and fee waivers

If you are a non-degree seeking student, explore options for taking free credit courses, non-credit courses, and professional training.

Apply for Grants

You should apply for federal student aid grants for free funds that can apply to your college tuition. Most federal student aid grants include:

• Pell grants
• the Teach grant
• the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity grant

The Free Application for Financial Student Aid will determine which federal student aid grants you qualify for.

You can also discover internal and external grants through your accredited institution, state, or other organizations.

Apply for Scholarships

Applying for scholarships can help save money on tuition. There are several scholarship opportunities that award funds from $100 or less up to the full cost of tuition.

Scholarship opportunities are based on academic achievement, financial need, location, ethnicity, employment, and more.

There are several types of scholarship opportunities including internal scholarships through colleges and external scholarships through other organizations and groups.

Get Tuition Reimbursement from an Employer

You may be eligible for a tuition reimbursement program through your employer if you are interested in pursuing your college education for career advancement or training.

Most colleges in Iowa also offer a tuition reimbursement program for employees and their families to cover all or a portion of tuition costs.

Look Into Tuition and Fee Waivers

Tuition and fee waivers usually apply to employees of accredited institutions, teachers, military families, and more. Tuition and fee waivers can be granted in the amount of full tuition or partial tuition.

Find a Free or Low-Cost Degree in Iowa Today

If you are looking for a free college in Iowa, prepare for a journey of exploring and submitting for financial aid and tuition assistance opportunities such as grants and scholarships.