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Mission

We are students fighting for free college. As tuition hikes, campus hunger and homelessness, and overwhelming student loan debt put higher education out of reach, we are leading a movement to put college within reach for all.

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1,200 percent

increase in the cost of tuition in a generation

Take Action on Your Campus

Fight for Free College Tuition

Our grassroots campaign is led by students and supporters like you. With your help, we can make California a state where hard work and talent -- not income or wealth -- determines your success in college and beyond.

Lead the Movement

Apply now to organize with Rise on your campus

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$1.5 Trillion

in student loan debt nationwide.

  • “Free college will give first generation college students more opportunities to graduate with less student debt” - Julian, UC Riverside ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ “I am a first generation college student. My family was really proud when I graduated from high school, but college has not been easy. I know I have to have internships and fellowships in order to get a job after I graduate. I spend half of my time involved in extra curricular activities with the External office in our school. I also work part time in order to cover the costs of college. I recently bought a car which means that I may have to pick up more hours at work and maybe give up one of my internships. This worries me because I took out a couple of loans, and if I don’t have a job after I graduate, I may not be able to pay them back. Free college will give first generation college students more opportunities to graduate with less student debt.” - Julian, UC Riverside ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #College #Students #Politics #FreeCollege #FreeCollegeTuition #StudentDebt #Advocacy #California #Rise #RiseFree
  • “Because I have to pay for my own tuition, sometimes I have to choose between my degree or paying my rent.” - Lea, Riverside City College ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ “I I turned 18 mid-way through my senior year in high school. I couldn’t wait to leave my house. It wasn’t because I didn’t love my family. My home had become toxic a long time ago. If I chose to go to a college of my liking, I knew my family wouldn’t help me with finances. I secretly applied to the community college furthest from my house with the hope of transferring to UC Berkeley. When I got in I was happy, but also really nervous. I would have to cover my tuition, books, food, and housing by myself. I work two part time jobs and share a little apartment with three other people. Because I have to pay for my own tuition, sometimes I have to choose between my degree or paying my rent. Free college would mean fewer financial obstacles for young people that want to be financially independent. Free college would also give students more hopeful futures.” - Lea, Riverside City College ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #College #Students #Politics #FreeCollege #FreeCollegeTuition #StudentDebt #Advocacy #California #Rise #RiseFree
  • "If tuition were free, I would take advantage of the full college experience." - Breeana Barrenos, Cal State San Bernardino . . . "If tuition were free, I would take advantage of the full college experience. I would take classes that didn’t revolve around my major and weren’t a requirement, so I could enjoy more of my college experience and grow. Being limited to a certain amount of financial aid restricts the classes amount of classes I take. It also restrict the experience I have. With free tuition, I would have the chance to take as many classes as I wanted, not worrying about how I would be able to finish all my requirements within a span of 4 years or less." - Breeana Barrenos, Cal State San Bernardino #College #Students #Politics #FreeCollege #FreeCollegeTuition #StudentDebt #Advocacy #California #Rise #risefree
  • Today we’re sending you all of our love - for lifting us up, supporting our students, and creating a brighter future for all of us. 💘✨
  • ✨Happy Birthday to our team member @cot_yama ! ✨ We are grateful for your hard work and passion for fighting for students! 💫💕
  • “Free college has to be the future for the rest of us to have a chance.” - Orlandria , UC Riverside • • • "I chose to go to college because I want to have a good paying job. I saw how important it was to go to college through my parents. They weren’t able to get their degrees because they couldn’t afford it. My sister tried to go but it also didn’t work out. I hope I can finish college and become a lawyer. I afford college through loans. My family also tries to help me out. My dad took out a parent plus loan to make sure I could afford my first year. It's important for us to speak up for ourselves. I want to be a role model for the people around me. Free college has to be the future for the rest of us to have a chance." - Orlandria , UC Riverside #College #Students #Politics #FreeCollege #FreeCollegeTuition #StudentDebt #Advocacy #California #Rise #risefree
  • "We are the children of hard working parents - why has the opportunity to one day help them with our degree been taken from us?" - Monica , Cal State Los Angeles . . . "After three years at a community college, I transferred to a Cal State school. I was told that if I went to a community college, I would save money. I did save money for those three years, but as soon as I went to Cal State Los Angeles, the bills started to pile up. I have to work two part time jobs to pay for my basic needs. CSUs are much more affordable than UCs, but even then, if you’re trying to help your family and not go into debt, it’s hard. People should support free college because we shouldn’t have to worry about bills when all we want is an education. We are the children of hard working parents - why has the opportunity to one day help them with our degree been taken from us? Free college would allow us to be free from debt and help our families while in college.” - Monica, Cal State Los Angeles #College #Students #Politics #FreeCollege #FreeCollegeTuition #StudentDebt #Advocacy #California #Rise #risefree
  • #TBT to November when we joined thousands of students getting out the vote .💥🗳 Reminder: the people we elect have the power to bring back free college! ⠀ Are your legislators working to address the issues you face as a student? • • • #Politics #California #Rise #RiseFree #College #Free #StudentsRise #WeRise #college
  • We've got some 🗞📣to share! A year and a half ago, we launched Rise for students to lead the free college movement in California. Since then, we've helped students enact a first year of free community college, stop tuition hikes, win new state funding, and so much more. We've also supported students outside of California as far away as Miami, Phoenix, and Omaha. That's why today we're moving to a new social media handle and URL to better reflect where we work. In the months ahead, we'll keep fighting for free college in California while launching campaigns in new states. Stay tuned here @RiseFreeOrg and our website, RiseFree.org. Tag a friend who wants to bring free college to their state! ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #FreeCollege #Students #Advocacy #StudentDebt #Politics #California #Rise #RiseFree #College #Free #StudentsRise #WeRise #College
  • “Having free tuition would not only allow me to pursue my goals as a student, but also relieve the burden on my family who supports me in my degree.” - Kristel Arenas, Cal State Long Beach ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ “Having free tuition would not only allow me to pursue my goals as a student, but also relieve the burden on my family who supports me in my degree. Education is paramount to my family. Because college costs so much, it is becoming a detriment to my future as a contributing member of society. On a more personal level, it also becomes an obstacle to those I care about, who will hopefully follow down the same path. A society that systematically limits the quality of education based on the amount of education you can afford is anti-democratic.” - Kristel Arenas, Cal State Long Beach

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$7 billion

States Are Spending Less On Higher Education Than Before the Recession

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College costs 1,200+ percent more today than a generation ago.

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