Rhode Island Tuition Waiver for Residents 60 and Older
State of Rhode Island; CCRI, RIC and URI
Free tuition (space available) at Rhode Island public colleges for Rhode Island residents age 60 or older with household income under three times the federal poverty level.
- How much
- Full tuition, space-available (fees and books not covered)
- Who qualifies
- Permanent Rhode Island resident age 60 or older with household income below 3 times the federal poverty level; space-available seats only.
- For undergrads, grad students, adults going back to school
- Need-based: your FAFSA decides how much you get.
- When to apply
- Apply any time Each semester, on the college's waiver registration date (CCRI: about a week before classes start; spring dates published each fall).
- How to apply
- Each semester, submit your college's Senior Citizen Waiver form with proof of age and a means test (signed federal tax return and W-2s)
- Degree-seeking students also file the FAFSA
- Register on the college's waiver registration date (CCRI Fall 2026: from August 27, 2026)
- What you'll need
- state application
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (ccri.edu), page 2, page 3 and page 4
The details
Under RIGL 16-55-1, a permanent Rhode Island resident aged 60 or older whose household income is below 300% of the federal poverty level can take courses at CCRI, RIC or URI without paying tuition. Other fees, charges and books are not covered. Seats are space-available: waiver users register on an assigned 'waiver day' and cannot use the waiver for limited-enrollment program courses (CCRI lists many health science, nursing and culinary courses as excluded). Students eligible for financial aid must apply for it, and any aid is applied to tuition first, reducing the waiver. Matriculated (degree-seeking) and non-degree students can both use it.
More money from Rhode Island
- Rhode Island Hope Scholarship (Rhode Island College)Full remaining tuition and mandatory fees for junior and senior years at RIC (after other aid)
- Rhode Island Promise ScholarshipRemaining tuition and mandatory fees at CCRI for two years, after other grants and scholarships
- Rhode Island State Grant (need-based state scholarship and grant program)Varies by college and by the year's appropriation; no statewide amount is published
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Connecticut, Massachusetts
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
We list programs; we don't decide who gets them. Always check the official page before you apply. Spot something wrong? Tell us.