Build your future grant; a student talks with their advisor.

Post-Hurricane Tuition Assistance Available at Blue Ridge Community College

The Build Your Future Grant is returning for Fall 2025 and Spring 2026, once again offering individuals the chance to rebuild or advance their careers following the impact of Hurricane Helene. This state-funded grant provides access to education and career training at no cost. Whether you’re pursuing short-term Workforce Training/Continuing Education programs or working toward a diploma or associate degree, the grant creates a pathway to new skills and career growth.

What the Grant Covers:

The Build Your Future Grant covers tuition for most workforce-focused programs at Blue Ridge Community College during the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 semester.

  • Workforce Continuing Education / Short-Term Training Programs:
    Fast-track, skill-focused courses in high-demand fields, such as healthcare, construction, business, and information technology. As the grant is designed for workforce impact, enrichment courses are not eligible at this time.
  • Traditional Academic Programs:
    Diplomas, certificates, and two-year associate degree programs across more than 30 areas of study, supporting students’ diverse career goals and educational needs.

Who is eligible?

To be eligible for the Build Your Future Grant, students must be:

  • Enrolled at Blue Ridge Community College in a traditional program, or Workforce Continuing Education course.
  • Students currently enrolled for the Fall 2025 semester may apply for the grant to help cover any remaining unpaid tuition.
  • Residing, temporarily or permanently, in a Western North Carolina county affected by Hurricane Helene. These include Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Buncombe, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey counties.
  • The student was financially affected by Hurricane Helene.

How to Apply

Grant applications take about 10 minutes to complete. Funds will be granted on a first-come first-served basis, and funding is limited.

New students enrolling in a traditional certificate, diploma or degree program can begin their college application at www.blueridge.edu/admissions. An online application form for this specific grant will be included in the financial aid portion of the admissions process, and no application is needed ahead of time.

Currently enrolled and returning certificate, diploma, or degree students will use their scholarship portal to apply.

After a given semester’s Workforce Training/Continuing education courses are posted, students should first select and register for their courses at www.blueridge.edu/ce. For reference, the eligible Short-Term Training courses are now listed at www.blueridge.edu/short-term. Upon check-out, these students should select “apply for scholarship,” and then submit the form without payment. Instructions on completing the grant application will then be emailed to the student.

For assistance, please call our One Stop at (828) 694-1800 in Henderson County, and 828-694-1900 in Transylvania County, or email admissions@blueridge.edu. Questions about Workforce Continuing Education courses can be directed to workforce@blueridge.edu or (828) 694-1735.