University of California to cover full tuition for Native American students

Native American college students who’re members of federally acknowledged tribes may have their tuitions and costs waived to attend College of California colleges.

The college system will cowl Native American college students’ full tuition beginning in Fall 2022, the system’s president, Michael V. Drake, wrote final week in a letter to UC chancellors and shared with KTLA.

It’s a part of the UC Native American Alternative Plan, a brand new program meant to develop scholar variety and make the UC colleges extra inexpensive for the state’s Native American college students.

Tuition will probably be waived for California residents who’re members of federally acknowledged Native American, American Indian, and Alaska Native tribes, in line with Drake.

“The College of California is dedicated to recognizing and acknowledging historic wrongs endured by Native People,” Drake wrote within the letter. “I’m pleased with the efforts the College has made to help the Native American group, together with the creation of the UC Native American Alternative Plan, and admire our conversations to this point on all of the methods wherein we are able to higher help Native American college students.”

This plan will probably be funded by way of a mix of current State and College monetary assist packages, along with different assets, Drake mentioned.

For residents from California’s non-federally acknowledged tribes, there could also be tuition scholarships accessible by way of exterior organizations, in line with Drake.

“I’m hopeful that this new program will profit our college students and proceed to place the College of California because the establishment of alternative for Native American college students,” Drake informed chancellors.

In California, there are about 110 federally-recognized tribes, together with a number of with lands that cross state boundaries, in line with a bulletin from the California Judicial Department.

Statewide, U.S. census information reveals that 1.6% of residents determine as American Indian and Alaska Native.