The new program, dubbed “G3”, for “Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back,” is going to be a last-dollar scholarship, meaning that the state will pay only the balance of tuition leftover after the student uses all eligible forms of financial aid.
The plan provides funding for tuition, fees, and books. For students at the lowest income levels, it also provides support for expenses including childcare, transportation, and food. Applicants must be eligible for in-state tuition with and income less than or equal 400 percent of the federal poverty level or $103,000 for a family of four.
To remain eligible for the G3 program, participating students will have to complete two hours of community service for every hour of credit they have enrolled in, and maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA.
The G3 program is said to target Virginia’s specific industries in need of skilled workers, including healthcare, public safety, early childhood education, and information technology.
Endorsed by several Democratic presidential candidates, the idea of free tuition at public colleges is gaining popularity. Former Vice President Joe Biden called for 4 years of free college in 2015, although he has not talked about it in the recent debates. Elizabeth Warren proposes a $1.25 trillion education plan to eliminate not only tuition at public colleges but also millions of Americans’ student debt. Another Democratic forerunner, Bernie Sanders, promotes a more ambitious $1.6 trillion plan to erase college tuition as well as all student debt.