How To Get Free College in Washington 2027

College tuition has become less affordable over the last few decades, leaving many students to delay their education or take on significant debt. Federal grants help, but state programs often matter more.

Washington runs one of the most generous need-based aid programs in the country. The Washington College Grant covers tuition and more for income-eligible residents, with no age limit and no requirement to have recently finished high school. Students can also look into tuition-free online colleges in Washington and other financial aid options.

Here’s how Washington’s programs work and who qualifies.

Is Community College Free in Washington?

For many residents, yes. Washington community and technical colleges charge tuition, but the Washington College Grant, administered by the Washington Student Achievement Council, can cover it entirely for income-eligible students.

For 2026-27, a family of four earning $83,500 or less qualifies for the maximum award, which is equivalent to free tuition at Washington public colleges. Partial awards extend to families earning up to $139,500, with both thresholds scaling by family size.

The grant isn’t limited to tuition. WSAC says it can be used for school supplies and living expenses as well, and it covers apprenticeships and career training alongside degree programs.

Who Qualifies for Free College in Washington?

Eligibility is based on family income relative to Washington’s median family income, adjusted for family size. There’s no age requirement, no recent-graduate requirement, and no requirement to attend full time.

WA Grant is available to Washington residents, including undocumented residents, who qualify for in-state tuition rates. Students generally establish residency by living in Washington for one calendar year before applying.

A 2024 law added an automatic pathway: students in grades 10 through 12 who receive Basic Food or Food Assistance Program benefits are certified as income-eligible by WSAC, without a separate income determination.

Washington State Financial Aid Programs

Washington administers its aid through WSAC. Most programs run off a single application, either the FAFSA or the WASFA.

Washington College Grant

WA Grant is Washington’s flagship need-based program and one of the largest in the country. It covers tuition, school supplies, and living expenses, and applies to college, career training, and registered apprenticeships.

Award amounts depend on family income relative to median family income, family size, institution type, and enrollment level. Students between 0 and 60% of MFI receive the maximum award, with partial awards on a sliding scale up to 100% of MFI. Part-time students qualify at reduced amounts.

One change worth noting: the 2025 Legislature reduced maximum WA Grant awards at certain institutions beginning in 2026-27, particularly four-year private not-for-profit colleges, where maximums are now set as percentages of public institution averages.

• Who qualifies: Washington residents, including undocumented residents, who meet in-state tuition requirements and fall within the income thresholds; for 2026-27, a family of four earning $83,500 or less receives the maximum award, with partial awards up to $139,500. Students in grades 10-12 receiving Basic Food or FAP benefits automatically qualify as income-eligible
• Eligible institutions: Nearly all accredited Washington institutions, including public and private four-year colleges, community and technical colleges, tribal colleges, and approved apprenticeship and career training programs
• How to apply: File the FAFSA, or the WASFA if you aren’t filing a FAFSA. There’s no separate application; your college calculates your award

College Bound Scholarship

College Bound is a separate program that requires students to sign up early, in 7th or 8th grade, and pledge to meet its requirements. It provides tuition and a small book allowance for income-eligible students who follow through.

Because the sign-up window closes in middle school, this is a program families need to know about years before college. Students who miss it can still receive WA Grant.

• Who qualifies: Students who signed the College Bound pledge in 7th or 8th grade, meet income requirements at the time of college enrollment, graduate from a Washington high school, and meet the program’s academic and conduct requirements
• Eligible institutions: Washington public and participating private colleges, universities, and technical schools
• How to apply: Sign up in middle school, then file the FAFSA or WASFA each year in college. Confirm current academic requirements with WSAC, as these have been revised

Passport to Careers

Passport to Careers supports students who were in foster care or experienced unaccompanied homelessness, helping them attend and succeed in college, apprenticeships, and pre-apprenticeship programs.

It combines financial support with services designed around the specific barriers these students face, and it stacks with WA Grant rather than replacing it.

• Who qualifies: Former foster youth and unaccompanied homeless youth who meet WSAC’s eligibility criteria
• Eligible institutions: Washington colleges, universities, apprenticeships, and pre-apprenticeship programs
• How to apply: File the FAFSA or WASFA and contact WSAC or your institution’s financial aid office about Passport-specific documentation

Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA)

The WASFA is Washington’s alternative to the FAFSA, for undocumented residents and others who don’t file a federal application. It opens the same state programs, including WA Grant and College Bound.

Students file one application or the other, not both.

• Who qualifies: Washington residents who are undocumented, have DACA, or otherwise choose not to submit a FAFSA
• Eligible institutions: The same Washington institutions that participate in state financial aid programs
• How to apply: Complete the WASFA through WSAC instead of the FAFSA

Tips for Making College Affordable

WA Grant does a lot of work, but a few habits stretch it further.

Apply Even If You’re Not a Recent Graduate

This is the most common reason eligible Washingtonians miss out. WA Grant has no age limit and no recent-graduate requirement. Adults returning to school, people entering apprenticeships, and part-time students all qualify. If you assumed this was a program for teenagers, check again.

Use the Grant for More Than Tuition

WA Grant can be applied to school supplies and living expenses, not just tuition. Students at low-tuition community colleges sometimes find the award exceeds their tuition bill, and the remainder helps with books, transportation, and rent. Ask your financial aid office how your award will be disbursed.

File the FAFSA or WASFA, Not Both

Washington residents who can’t or don’t file a FAFSA should complete the WASFA instead, which opens the same state programs. Undocumented residents are explicitly eligible for WA Grant. File one application or the other each year.

Compare Award Amounts by Institution Type

Maximum WA Grant awards differ by school type, and the 2025 Legislature reduced maximums at four-year private not-for-profit institutions beginning in 2026-27. Before committing to a private college on the strength of a state award, confirm the current maximum for that institution type with WSAC or the school’s financial aid office.

Start at a Community College

Washington’s community and technical colleges have the lowest tuition in the state, which means WA Grant covers proportionally more and leaves more for living costs. Credits transfer into Washington’s public four-year institutions through established pathways. Confirm your transfer plan with both schools before enrolling.

Look Into Population-Specific Programs

Washington funds several programs beyond WA Grant, including Passport to Careers for former foster youth and unaccompanied homeless youth, State Work Study, the National Guard Grant, the Tuition Waiver for Dependents of Veterans, and the American Indian Endowed Scholarship. These stack with WA Grant and often go unclaimed.

Tuition-Free Colleges in Washington

These institutions combine WA Grant with their own programs to bring costs down.

Washington State University

WSU is a public research university with campuses in Pullman, Vancouver, Tri-Cities, Everett, and Spokane. Income-eligible Washington residents can have tuition covered by WA Grant, with institutional aid layered on top.

Because WSU is a public research institution, its maximum WA Grant award is among the higher amounts in the state. Students should file the FAFSA or WASFA and confirm with financial aid what institutional scholarships they’ve been considered for.

Green River College

Green River is a community and technical college in Auburn offering associate degrees, certificates, and selected bachelor’s programs.

With community college tuition among the lowest in the state, WA Grant covers it fully for income-eligible students and often leaves funds for books and living costs. Green River also participates in Running Start, letting high school students earn college credit at no tuition cost.

Northwest Indian College

Northwest Indian College is a tribal college based on the Lummi Reservation near Bellingham, with sites across Washington. Tribal colleges are eligible institutions for WA Grant.

Students may also qualify for the American Indian Endowed Scholarship and tribal funding sources that don’t appear in standard net price calculators. Contact the financial aid office directly for the full picture.

Seattle Colleges

Seattle Central, North Seattle, and South Seattle colleges participate in WA Grant and in the Seattle Promise, a city-funded program covering up to two years of tuition for graduates of Seattle public high schools.

Seattle Promise is last-dollar, applied after WA Grant and Pell, and includes advising and support services. It’s one of the clearest examples of a local program stacking on top of state aid.

University of Washington

UW offers more than a dozen tuition waiver programs authorized under the Revised Code of Washington, applied based on a student’s circumstances or background. Many are capped at a set number of students, so receiving one isn’t guaranteed.

Income-eligible residents can combine WA Grant with the Husky Promise, UW’s commitment to covering tuition and standard fees for qualifying Washington students. Contact the Office of Student Financial Aid about both.

City University of Seattle

City University is a private nonprofit institution serving working adults with flexible and online programs. It participates in Washington’s state financial aid programs.

Note that maximum WA Grant awards at four-year private not-for-profit institutions were reduced beginning in 2026-27, so compare your award here against a public option before enrolling.

FAQs About Free College in Washington

Below, we've answered some of the most frequently asked questions about going to college for free in Washington.

Do I Have To Be a Recent High School Graduate To Get WA Grant?

No. The Washington College Grant has no age limit and no recent-graduate requirement, and you don’t need to attend full time. Adults returning to school, part-time students, and people entering registered apprenticeships all qualify.

This is one of the most misunderstood features of the program. If you’ve been out of school for years, you may still be fully eligible.

What Income Do I Need To Qualify?

It depends on family size. For 2026-27, a family of four earning $83,500 or less qualifies for the maximum award, equivalent to free tuition at Washington public colleges. Partial awards extend up to $139,500 for that family size.

For a family of one, those figures are $43,500 and $72,500. WSAC publishes a complete table by family size, and students in grades 10 through 12 receiving Basic Food or FAP benefits automatically qualify as income-eligible.

Can Undocumented Students Get WA Grant?

Yes. WSAC lists Washington residents including undocumented people among those eligible for the Washington College Grant. Students who don’t file a FAFSA complete the Washington Application for State Financial Aid instead.

The WASFA opens the same state programs and uses the same income criteria. File one application or the other, not both.

Does the University of Washington Offer Free Tuition?

UW administers more than a dozen tuition waiver programs authorized under state law, applied automatically based on a student’s needs or background. Many are limited to a set number of students, so a waiver isn’t guaranteed.

Separately, income-eligible Washington residents can combine WA Grant with the Husky Promise, UW’s commitment to cover tuition and standard fees for qualifying in-state students. Contact UW’s financial aid office about both paths.

How Is Free College Funded in Washington?

The Washington College Grant is funded by state appropriation, supported in part by the Workforce Education Investment Act. WSAC distributes funds, and colleges calculate individual awards.

Local governments fund their own programs on top, including Seattle Promise for graduates of Seattle public high schools. Private foundations and organizations fund additional scholarships, often targeted to specific backgrounds or fields of study.

Find Free and Low-Cost Colleges

Washington’s College Grant is among the most generous state aid programs in the country, and its reach is wider than most people assume. Reach out to specific institutions to learn more about your financial aid options and explore the resources on Learn.org to find out more about keeping costs low while earning your degree.