For decades, research has shown a wealth of benefits to pursuing higher education. Graduates earn higher wages, live healthier and give back to their communities.
But affording college can be difficult. Just ask Muskaan Khanduri, a recent Kent State graduate now pursuing a career in fashion design in New York City.
“As an international student, you pay significantly more for classes and stuff like that, because it’s a little differently structured,” Khanduri, who is originally from India, told Kent State Today. “I also lived off campus for a little bit and, you know, having to pay that rent every month was insane.”
But thanks to Kent State’s commitment to affordability and robust on-campus employment options, Khanduri graduated without having to take out student loans, she said.
Khanduri held multiple on-campus jobs, eventually serving as a resident assistant her senior year. RAs receive room waivers, a meal plan and a paycheck every two weeks, she said.
“It all helped me manage the overall cost of college by taking … the big recurring expenses off my plate,” Khanduri said. “As a student, even if you're budgeting very carefully, the rent and food costs add up so quickly, and having those costs covered meant I had so much more financial breathing room.”
Working as an RA is just one of Kent State's pathways students can take advantage of to graduate with little to no student debt, said Brenda Burke, associate vice president of the University Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid.
In fact, about 40% of Kent State students graduate with no debt.
Kent State stands above other local universities due to its dedicated staff members who help students find these pathways, Burke said.
“The people here, the heart around Kent State, ‘Flashes Take Care of Flashes’ is truly the element here,” Burke said. “Everybody can afford Kent State, so let us work with you to show you how it’s affordable.”
Here are four ways Kent State makes it possible to save money and potentially graduate with less debt.
1. Apply for Scholarships and Financial Aid
Filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid – more commonly known as FAFSA – each year is imperative before determining which scholarships and aid programs to apply for, Burke said.
“A lot of aid programs and stuff say ‘FAFSA first, and then aid second’ because they want to make sure you're getting the maximum amount of federal and state aid first, and then supplement with the other programs,” Burke said.
After you’ve figured out your remaining balance, it’s time to apply for scholarships, she said.
Last year, Kent State awarded $5.1 million in philanthropic scholarships, and 86% of students received financial assistance.
One of the best is Flashes Go Further – an income-based free tuition scholarship, Burke said. Burke calls it “Pell Plus” because it is open to students who do not meet the requirements for the federal Pell Grant program.
“Students right outside of Pell Grant range also qualify for Flashes Go Further. It’s not just for a certain region of students, but all students in the state of Ohio,” Burke said. “I think it’s probably the best program around. We just had a school in the state copy our program for this coming up year.”
Students may qualify if they live in Ohio, attend the Kent Campus and their family’s combined income is less than $75,000 per year.
There are hundreds of scholarships currently open and available on ScholarshipUniverse, the university’s scholarship platform, Burke said.
Students may qualify for even more scholarships the longer they attend Kent State, she said.
“The majority of ScholarshipUniverse scholarships are for students who are sophomores, juniors and seniors, and many students don't realize that,” Burke said. “I strongly encourage students to look in ScholarshipUniverse every year, go through the student portal questions, answer the questions and then look to see what scholarships you are now eligible for as a sophomore, junior and senior. They are probably very different than what you qualified for as a freshman student.”
Kent State also has a flat-rate tuition guarantee – ensuring tuition does not increase each year the student attends, up to four years, she added.
The tuition fee is also flat up to 18 credit hours a semester, Burke said.
“If a student wants to take a little more credit hours versus just 12, basically it’s the same exact price of tuition,” Burke said. “So, you’re getting more credit hours of enrollment for no more tuition.”
2. Work an On-Campus Job
Another key way to help make college more affordable is working an on-campus job, Burke said.
There are a variety of positions across the Kent Campus, from part-time jobs to assistantships and resident assistant roles, Burke said.
Khanduri, a 2026 graduate who worked multiple on-campus jobs, touted the wide range of positions available for students.
“Kent State is actually really great with their on-campus jobs. There’s something for everyone,” Khanduri said. “Going through Handshake every once in a while, you see multiple roles within so many different colleges, and even if it's a college that you're not a part of, you're still able to work for them if that role fits you, which I think is amazing.”
Khanduri’s on-campus jobs were flexible with her schoolwork and helped her gain additional soft skills needed for the workforce, she added.
“These are good ways to make money, but they’re also all opportunities to gain, you know, some professional experience, develop new skills, and get more involved in the community as well ... all while pursuing your degree,” Khanduri said. “You’re a student first and an employee second, which I think is amazing. They always will work with you to make sure that you’re making it on time for your classes.”
Burke encourages students to see if they qualify for Federal Work Study, a federally funded program that provides part-time jobs for students with financial need.
“We always tell students if we did not initially award you Federal Work-Study, and you are looking for a work study, ask us to see if you qualify for it,” Burke added. “If we have funding available, we'll definitely give it to students if they qualify.”
3. Become an RA
One on-campus job that provides significant financial benefits is a resident assistant.
Serving as a resident assistant helps students save on tuition and housing costs, Burke said.
Resident assistants receive a room waiver, stipend and meal plan.
Resident assistants live on an assigned residence hall floor and help create community and engagement opportunities for residents.
A former resident assistant in Johnson Hall, Khanduri loved connecting with residents, particularly first- and second-year students, and helping them navigate resources, she said.
“I was also a Peer Success Mentor, which was like Flashes 101. So, I would communicate a lot and help people out a lot in their first year,” Khanduri said. “Communicating with the residents and helping them out whenever they had problems was probably the best part of being an RA.”
Khanduri saved about $10,000 annually due to the room waiver and roughly $3,500 due to the meal plan benefit, she added.
“Being an RA was such a rewarding experience,” Khanduri said. “Being able to have that experience and have that opportunity to grow personally and professionally, while also easing that financial pressure of college was just the best thing that Kent State could have given me.”
There are several requirements RA applicants must satisfy, including being enrolled in the P.E.E.R. Success Academy course.
4. Join ROTC
Another program with tuition waivers and benefits is the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps, known as ROTC.
There are a number of scholarship programs for those involved in ROTC, including a 100% tuition benefit scholarship.
Students who meet the scholarship requirements may receive a tuition waiver for the length of the scholarship, a $1,200-per-year book allowance and a $420 monthly stipend.
Other programs include the Guaranteed Reserve Forces Duty scholarship, which may provide full tuition or free room and board, as well as the Green-to-Gold scholarship for active-duty, enlisted soldiers who want a commission as an officer.
Financial aid is also available for students who want to become Army public health nurses.
Find additional resources at Kent State’s Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center.
