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The Contra Costa Community College District (4CD) Full-Time Free Tuition Program provides free tuition for up to two academic years* for students enrolled full-time at Contra Costa College, Diablo Valley College, or Los Medanos College.

* Fall and Spring terms only. See FAQs for definition of an academic year.

Who Qualifies?

To qualify, students must:

  • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADA) for the current academic year that is processed with a valid Student Aid Index (SAI) (Students do not need to qualify for aid, only submit a complete application)

  • Enroll in a minimum of 12 units each term

  • Be a California resident or otherwise exempt from paying non-resident tuition fees (e.g., AB540)

  • Accept the Free Tuition Program award and requirements through InSite.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you meet the program requirements, you will be tentatively awarded automatically. Your award will be viewable on Insite by clicking the Financial Aid tile, then My Financial Aid Awards, beginning September 25 for the Fall 2024 term. You must click “accept” next to Free Tuition Program for the award to be applied to your account. Remember, you must enroll in 12 or more units. Tuition will be waived shortly after the last day to add classes for each term.

To be eligible for free tuition for this academic year, you must complete meet the following deadlines:

  1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADA) that is processed with a valid Student Aid Index(SAI) prior to June 1, and

  2. Meet all program requirements and accept the award in InSite prior to June 30.

Example: If you start in Fall 2024 or Spring 2025, you have until June 30, 2025 to complete the above.

The Full-Time Free Tuition Program can provide free tuition for up to two academic years. An "academic year" is defined as a fall term followed by a spring term. So, students who begin taking classes in the fall term may be eligible to receive funding for up to four terms, while students who start in the spring or take a semester off may be eligible for up to two or three terms. Summer terms are not covered under this program.

The Full-Time Free Tuition Program was formerly called FT3 and previously had a requirement that students be first-time college students. The law has since changed and 4CD is now able to offer free tuition to all full-time students who meet the eligibility criteria. The maximum period for which students can receive free tuition is two academic years. If you received one year of tuition from the FT3 program, you may be eligible for up to one additional year of free tuition.

The Full-Time Free Tuition Program waives the $46 per unit enrollment/tuition fees at 4CD colleges. Full-Time Free Tuition Program students are still responsible to pay for any books, supplies, and materials fees required by their classes, as well as other non-tuition fees.

  • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADA) each academic year that is processed with a valid Student Aid Index (SAI).

  • Enroll in a minimum of 12 units each term for up to two academic years.

If you are a DSPS student and have an approved exception from the program manager, your eligibility for the Full-Time Free Tuition Program will be based on a full-time status of 9 units instead of 12 units.

No. The Full-Time Free Tuition Program only provides free tuition for fall and spring terms.

Yes. If you have already paid your tuition for a fall or spring term and later qualify for the Full-time Free Tuition Program, your tuition will be refunded to you within a few weeks of accepting the award on the “My Financial Aid Awards” page on InSite.

Private scholarships awarded to students outside of federal or state financial aid will not affect receipt of the Full-Time Free Tuition Program award unless the cost of attendance has been reached. If you meet the requirements for the California College Promise Grant (CCPG), you will receive free tuition through that program instead of the 4CD Full-Time Free Tuition Program.

No. The Full-Time Free Tuition Program is only for students that are ineligible for the CCPG.

The SAI is an index number used by financial aid professionals when creating an aid offer. Your SAI is calculated using information that you (and other contributors, if required) provide on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application. If your application does not have an SAI, then your application in is not valid and eligibility for the Free Tuition Program cannot be determined.

Please contact the appropriate Full-Time Free Tuition Program contact at your college using the contact information below: