HENDERSONVILLE – Student enrollment is now open for Blue Ridge Community College’s spring semester through December 14. An additional in-person and online enrollment opportunity will take place on January 4 to fill open seats before classes begin on January 8. New students should visit www.BlueRidge.edu/Admissions to apply.

Serving Western North Carolina on campuses located in Henderson and Transylvania Counties, Blue Ridge Community College offers over 200 degrees, diplomas, and certificates in 30 areas of study. Many of the College’s classes have fully online options available, in addition to fast-tracked skill-building programs to advance new or existing careers.

This academic year, Blue Ridge offers several new programs based on regional and employer demand. These include artificial intelligence, practical nursing, civil engineering technology, environmental engineering technology, entrepreneurship, elementary education residency, medical office administration, and respiratory therapy. Credentials in these high-demand fields will position graduates to quickly make an impact in these fast-growing workforce sectors.

Understanding the challenges that student debt introduces, Blue Ridge Community College is committed to helping students reach their highest goals while saving money. To this end, the College’s Financial Aid office helps applicants to pursue valuable state and federal grants. Additionally, Blue Ridge’s Educational Foundation provides hundreds of scholarships worth approximately half a million dollars each year. These scholarships, made possible by donors and organizations, are based on a student’s goals, interests, and academics.

“We are willing to help every incoming student understand their options and guide them through the process to ensure they are getting the best deal possible for their college education,” explained Jonathan Grunder, Blue Ridge’s director of financial aid.

Blue Ridge students have a successful track record in securing financial aid when they apply. During the 2022-23 academic year, three out of four Blue Ridge students qualified for public grants or Foundation scholarships. Blue Ridge awarded more than $6.3M in financial aid last year, of which $3.9M came from state and federal grants, and $220k from established Educational Foundation scholarship funds. The remaining 34% of student expenses was covered by the College’s historic Brighter Futures scholarship program, made possible by one-time donations between 2021 and 2023.

While the Brighter Futures scholarship program concluded in Fall 2023, Blue Ridge’s primary financial aid sources remain available. For many incoming Blue Ridge students, state and federal grants are expected to fully fund the cost of tuition, fees, and books.

“It is the perfect time to pursue higher education, because the future of financial aid is looking very bright, particularly here at Blue Ridge,” added Grunder. “If you want to know if you qualify for one of our hundreds of available scholarships or grants, I invite you to reach out. You might be surprised how we can help you.”

Students seeking financial assistance should contact Blue Ridge Community Community College’s Financial Aid office by emailing [email protected], calling 828-694-1816 or texting 828-600-4955. Blue Ridge also offers flexible payment plans and some work study programs to offset tuition costs.

Community members who would like to invest in the future of Western North Carolina through student scholarships are invited to contact the College’s Educational Foundation at 828-694-1710 or [email protected], or by visiting BlueRidge.edu/Foundation.