Berea College was named by USA Today as one of the “Best 10 colleges for the money.” The article, which focuses on the rising cost of higher education, cites a select number of schools that counter that trend and states that Berea “offers all admitted students a scholarship completely covering their tuition.” It also notes that many students “receive additional aid” to cover other educational costs beyond tuition.
Berea College provides a Tuition Promise Scholarship, which ensures that no student will ever have to pay for their tuition. Its liberal arts academic program is enhanced with a full-participation work-study program. As part of their educational experience, all 1,600 students are required to work 10 or more hours per week in campus and service jobs that cover more than 130 departments. Berea’s Labor Program creates an atmosphere of democratic living that emphasizes the dignity of all work and provides opportunities for students to earn money for their room, board and books, as well as develop a work ethic documented in a labor transcript.
Equal opportunity and diversity have been at the heart of Berea’s mission for more than 150 years. The College has an inclusive Christian character, expressed in its scriptural motto “God has made of one blood all peoples of the Earth. (Acts 17:26)” Berea’s primary service area is the Southern Appalachian region, but students come from all states in the U.S. and, in a typical year, more than 60 countries are represented on campus. This allows for an experience of a rich diversity of colors, cultures and faiths. One in three students is an ethnic minority.