AFSCME
Ohio Association of Public School Employees
Stronger Together.
College Benefits Available for OAPSE Members and Their Families
Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) Partnership
OAPSE is pleased to announce a partnership with Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C). OAPSE members, their children, and their grandchildren are able to take advantage of this member ONLY benefit now!
Tri-C will be offering exclusive discounts to OAPSE members and their families, on top of federal and state grants, and merit-based, needs-based, and program-based scholarships. All of this will make Tri-C out of pocket costs for OAPSE members and their families the lowest in the state, and potentially free for some union members.
Tri-C offers more than 1,000 courses, in over 200 career and technical programs, and all courses are eligible for the exclusive OAPSE member discount. Classes are offered online, in-person and in hybrid formats to fit your lifestyle.
In an effort to make tuition as affordable as possible, Tri-C will be offering payment plans for out-of-pocket costs spread out over the entire semester. For OAPSE members with tuition reimbursement in their contract, Tri-C will also be offering a deferred billing option. This deferred billing option would allow your employer to pay their portion of tuition directly to Tri-C upon course completion, allowing OAPSE members more tuition flexibility than ever before.
For more information and to start the free application process, click here: OAPSE/Tri-C Partnership
Spring courses start January 16th at Tri-C and limited space is available, so start the process today!
*Eligible family members are limited to children, grandchildren, and dependents of OAPSE members at the moment.
Printable Program Flyer: OAPSE-at-Tri-C-Flyer.pdf
Central State Program
Bachelor’s Degree Completion Programs
Central State University now offers continuing and new students low-cost and debt-free options to complete their Bachelor’s Degree through Central State University’s online program, Central State Global.
The Central State Global Union Program provides financial aid, grants, and scholarships to eligible union members and their immediate families to help reduce their out-of-pockets costs.
EGCC Program
Update: June 28, 2023
Eastern Gateway Community College (EGCC) has been in ongoing negotiations for the past year with the U.S. Department of Education about the Free College Benefit and has fought hard on behalf of all students to continue these benefits. Their ability to gain a preliminary injunction against the Department gained a full year of continued free education for students and members enrolled in the Free College Program. This past spring over 8,500 students completed their studies and graduated. We are incredibly grateful EGCC was able to create the opportunity for those students to complete the program.
Unfortunately, given the negotiations to date, EGCC is no longer able to offer the Free College Benefit for new students beginning in the Fall semester 2023.
Effective with the Fall 2023 term, EGCC is moving to a new, reduced tuition rate of $138 per credit hour for out-of-state students combined with a consolidated course fee of $30 per credit hour. At a normal course load, this means Pell-eligible students would still attend for no out-of-pocket cost. The in-state tuition rate is either $131 or $137 per credit hour based on the Ohio county of residence.
All of the updated college programs are now low-cost models (free for some based on Pell eligibility).
All Union Plus Education Benefits
For a list of all the other low-cost education partnerships available to OAPSE members visit Union Plus Education Benefits