Central Ohio Technical College (COTC) is continuing its commitment to changing students’ lives by instituting its new Licking County Promise program.

Building upon the success of the college’s existing Knox County Promise and Coshocton County Promise initiatives, the Licking County Promise guarantees free tuition to qualifying Licking County residents. Based on historical enrollment data, it’s anticipated that more than 500 students could receive funding through the Licking County Promise.

It will be available beginning this upcoming summer semester, which starts on May 18, and is open to current and new students taking classes at any of COTC’s four campus locations and online. New students must apply by May 6 to enroll for the summer semester.

This program has the potential to change the higher education accessibility landscape of our region,” said John M. Berry, PhD, president of COTC. “Such great financial support will allow a myriad new individuals to consider a journey into education, workforce development and, ultimately, generational prosperity.

Tuition — comprised of instructional and general fees — will be entirely covered by institutional, federal and state aid as well as private scholarships for eligible students. The cost of books, course fees and living expenses are not included in the program, although they may be covered by additional financial aid.

COTC’s Licking County Promise program is facilitated through local community members’ incredible generosity and contributions to the Newark Campus Development Fund (NCDF). For more than 40 years, NCDF has supported the co-located campus by endowing millions of dollars in scholarships.

We’re so grateful to all the donors who have invested their resources in scholarships at NCDF,” said Jennifer Roberts, the organization’s executive director. “This extraordinary opportunity would not be possible without them. It will help students who previously perceived college to be out of reach set new goals and understand they now have a clear pathway to a degree. It will bring peace of mind to families who on their own don’t have the resources to help their children reach their educational dreams.

Eligibility

The Licking County Promise program is open to new, current and returning students who don’t already hold an associate or a bachelor’s degree. To qualify, students must also:

• Live in Licking County, and have been a resident for at least one year
• Have an annual household income of $100,000 or less reported on the 2026-27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• Enroll in at least one credit hour in an aid-eligible certificate or degree program

Current and returning students must also meet the standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress, which includes maintaining a minimum 2.0 GPA.

With no lifetime dollar limit, students can receive free tuition for every semester they attend COTC and continue meeting the Promise program requirements. Visit go.cotc.edu/promise for more details.

There is no special application for the Licking County Promise program. Students are automatically considered if they enroll at COTC, complete the FAFSA each year and submit all documentation required to complete the financial aid process.

Coshocton County Promise and Knox County Promise

In addition to the new Licking County Promise, the Coshocton County Promise and Knox County Promise programs have expanded access to residents of those counties by increasing the maximum income requirement from $60,000 to $100,000. The expansion will go into effect starting this summer semester.

Learn More

To learn more, or to schedule an appointment with an admissions representative, contact the COTC Gateway Enrollment Center at 740-366-9222 or cotcadmissions@mail.cotc.edu.

COTC Promise Programs