Information on all of OCSEA's Free College benefits and college partners can be found at OCSEAEducation.org.

OCSEA, the nation's leader in online free college for union members, is excited to officially announce the addition of two new colleges and one new program to its Free College benefit for members-only! Starting today, November 1, we welcome Franklin University and Paul Quinn College to the OCSEA Free College family to offer even more totally free and seriously discounted bachelor's degree programs to all OCSEA dues-paying members and all their family members.

Additionally, the Franklin University benefit will include a never-before offered Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (BSN). The nursing program is open to Registered Nurses ONLY who currently hold an associate degree. And, while the RN to BSN program is not free, it is available at a seriously discounted rate for those RNs who want to continue their nursing education.

The benefit in partnership with Paul Quinn College includes for the first time in the history of OCSEA Free College, a full, four-year Bachelor's of Arts degree option in five areas of study. Newly-added free bachelor's degree programs from Franklin University and Paul Quinn College range from business management and criminal justice to liberal arts and legal studies programs.

“The union is excited to keep enhancing the Free College benefit and knows that it has made a far-reaching impact on thousands of our members’ lives," said OCSEA President Chris Mabe, who was instrumental in getting the initial Free College pilot off the ground. Because of this initiative by OCSEA, the benefit has only grown and is now available to AFSCME and AFL-CIO affiliates around the country. It’s by far the largest labor educational benefit of its kind. The educational benefits are available to all members and all their family members.

OCSEA has partnered with Columbus-based Franklin University to offer totally free Bachelor's of Science degrees in management and leadership, criminal justice and the social sciences.

To be eligible, OCSEA members and family members must have 60 credit hours or an associate degree, including a college-level math and English course with a research paper component as a prerequisite. 

For the first time, OCSEA, in partnership with Paul Quinn College, are offering a FULL, four-year bachelor’s degree for zero dollars out of pocket. That means no associate degree is required to begin, although enrollees must have one college credit hour to enroll. Starting this Spring semester, OCSEA members and their extended family members can attend four years of college to achieve a Bachelor's of Arts degree in either Business Administration, Legal Studies, Health & Wellness (Summer 2022), Liberal Arts (various areas) or Religious Studies.

Paul Quinn College is a private, four-year, liberal arts-inspired historically Black college (HBCU) that was founded in 1872. Currently, it is a brick and mortar college in the Dallas,Texas area. Paul Quinn College is accredited by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TACCS). 

In addition to several free bachelor's degrees, Franklin University, in partnership with OCSEA, is offering a discounted Bachelor's of Science in Nursing. The RN to BSN degree program is 100% online and is ONLY available to licensed Registered Nurses who are graduates of an associate nursing degree or diploma in a registered nursing program. While the RN to BSN degree isn’t free, tuition is $200 per credit hour, making it one of the lowest cost programs of its kind in the country. Students MUST enroll for at least 6 credits per trimester.

To learn more about our partners in free and discounted college, click below for their individual program websites at OCSEAEducation.org.