Partners in Education Program

HOW CAN I ATTEND CITY COLLEGES OF CHICAGO AT LOW OR NO COST?

CHA public housing residents and Housing Choice Voucher participants can obtain a degree or certificate from City Colleges of Chicago at low or no cost through a partnership between CHA and CCC called the Partners in Education program. Partners in Education Program Managers help residents with the enrollment process, academic advisement and referrals for career coaching when appropriate.  Eligible expenses include tuition, uniforms, books, and exam fees.   
 

Spring 2023 Info Session Schedule

Your first step to enroll in the Partners in Education Program is to attend an Information Session (virtual and in-person sessions now available). See the schedule for Spring 2023 listed below.

Call (312) 553-2830 to hear the schedule.

Future Ready - CCC offering free programs in select high-demand fields

City Colleges is now offering programs in select high-demand fields at no cost to the student, giving a financial boost to Chicagoans wanting to start or resume their college education. Learn more here https://pages.ccc.edu/apply/futureready/

Fresh Start Initiative - CCC new debt forgiveness program

The City Colleges of Chicago has launched their Fresh Start Initiative, a debt forgiveness program for more than 21,000  City Colleges students who attended City Colleges in the last ten years in good standing but have debt that prevents them from completing their degree or certificate. Please click here and see if you qualify and if you do, you can complete the “Contact Us” form. https://pages.ccc.edu/apply/freshstart/.

As a CHA resident, you may also qualify for the Partners in Education Program which will cover the cost of tuition and required books/materials. Please contact the Partners in Education team at ccccha@ccc.edu for more information on eligibility.

Seeking to enroll in the Partners in Education for the Spring 2023 Sessions? Please be aware of the deadlines below!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Does CHA cover the costs for its residents to attend the City Colleges of Chicago?

A: Yes! CHA covers the cost - including tuition, uniforms, books, and exam fees - for its residents to attend City Colleges of Chicago through a program called Partners in Education.

To register for CHA’s Partners in Education program you must:

• Attend an information session
• Be a current resident in CHA’s Public Housing or Housing Choice Voucher Program.
• Have no previous debt with City Colleges of Chicago.
• Apply for financial aid.  Financial aid is applied first, with CHA’s Partners in Education program covering any unmet costs.

Q: Where are information sessions held? What should I bring to an information session?

A: As of right now, all information sessions are virtual. 

Information Sessions run 60 minutes in length.  You must attend on-time and for the entire duration of the session.  Being on-time shows that you are ready for school and value the investment being made in your education. As such, virtual access to the information session will close 5 minutes after the scheduled start time; late attendees will need to attend a later session.

Please bring a notebook and pen to take notes and know your CHA Client ID number.  

Q: What costs does CHA’s Partners in Education program cover?

A: The Partners in Education program covers all unmet costs, after financial aid is applied, including:

• Tuition
• Uniforms
• Books
• Exam Fees

Costs are paid through non-transferable CCC vouchers for use at registration and the online bookstore. You must first attend an information session to be registered to receive these vouchers.  

Q: Does CHA’s Partners in Education program cover the full cost of all CCC programs?

A: Nearly every program offered by CCC can be covered in full through CHA’s Partners in Education program.

CHA’s Partners in Education program covers costs of:

• Remediation & GED Prep courses
• Basic Certificate & Advanced Certificate programs, and
• Associate Degree programs

There is a limit to cost per student per year within the Partners in Education program. The only program CCC offers that exceeds this cost per student per year is the French Pastry School.  For students interested in this program, only a portion of the costs are covered by CHA’s Partners in Education program. 

Q: What if I already registered for CCC courses on my own but want Partners in Education to pay for the cost?

A: CHA does not automatically pay for CCC courses for CHA residents.  CHA residents must register for the Partners in Education program first, in order to have tuition, uniforms, books, and exam fees covered.  To register in the Partners in Education program, you must attend an information session a minimum of two weeks prior to the start of your course to allow time for processing and verification.  The Partners in Education program does not cover previous debt or costs for courses that have been completed or are currently in progress.    

Q: If I already have a previous Associates Degree (or Bachelors Degree or higher) and want to return to school for a new degree or credential, can I still receive support from the Partners in Education program?

A: The goal of the Partners in Education program is to support CHA residents to receive their first Associates degree or Credential, debt-free. For residents who already have an Associate’s Degree (or higher) only a very limited amount of support is available through our Partners in Education program. Requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, wherein students who are awarded assistance can receive support for up to a maximum of 12-credit hours in total. Please note, this assistance is primarily awarded to Associates Degree students seeking to take a limited number of prerequisite courses prior to transferring to a 4-year institution to complete their Bachelors. Please attend an INFO SESSION and notify the program manager that you already have a degree and they will direct you with the appropriate next steps.

For any additional questions, please attend an info session, call (312) 786-3409, or email education@thecha.org