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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

Our grassroots campaign is led by students and supporters like you. With your help, we can remake our higher education system into one 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.

  • “My older brother, who is now 22, never finished attending college because he needed to get a job to help support family bills.” - Jaylen Joseph, Georgetown University⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ “The cost of college simply became out of the question for him. I'm lucky enough I'm here with the support of all my family. I decided to come to school because going to college and earning a degree has been a lifelong goal of mine. It's a stepping stone so that I can support my parents and my future children. The costs that come along with college, such as rent and bills, adds tons of stress to an already stressful time in a college student's life. We have to figure out travel costs such as flights from D.C. to LA, groceries, supplies for schools, and other miscellaneous costs that arise outside of tuition and housing. If college was free, it would allow me to focus my efforts on school instead of having to work to cover a lot of the expenses associated with attending college. Free college would change lives and help low-income students to continue their education.” - Jaylen Joseph, Georgetown University⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #College #Students #Politics #FreeCollege #FreeCollegeTuition #StudentDebt #Advocacy #California #Michigan #Rise #RiseFree #studentsmatter #studentsvoice #freecollegetuition #collegeforall #california #collegelife #highered #studentdebt #realcollege #hopeforstudents
  • "I want to be able to take care of myself and not struggle the way my parents did. I want a better and brighter future ."- Dalia Carmona, Cal State Los Angeles⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ “My father is the only one working and maintains our family of 7, so free college would be a positive thing. I came to college so that I can obtain a degree and get a job that pays a good amount. I want to be able to take care of myself and not struggle the way my parents did. I want a better and brighter future. I am fortunate enough to live at home, but I constantly have to worry about traveling expenses. It's $125 a semester for a bus pass and I have to time my day out correctly so that I don't miss the bus. If I miss the bus I could be late for class, so there are days where I have to catch the bus two to three hours early just to make sure I’m on time. People should support free college because a lot of people cannot afford it, especially those who come from marginalized communities. A lot of people of color get into college, but cannot afford it or do not qualify for financial aid, which stops them from pursuing a higher education. For many of us low income people of color, college is our only way out of poverty. Free college is needed.” - Dalia Carmona, Cal State Los Angeles⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #College #Students #Politics #FreeCollege #FreeCollegeTuition #StudentDebt #Advocacy #California #Michigan #Rise #RiseFree #studentsmatter #studentsvoice #freecollegetuition #collegeforall #california #collegelife #highered #studentdebt #realcollege #hopeforstudents
  • Professors like these 🔥🔥
  • “With free college, I could give back to my mom for her sacrifices and my community for the support.” - Odalys Gomez, University of California, Riverside ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ “I don't want to struggle anymore, I have already struggled enough. I watched my mother struggle financially because she was a single mother, and for that reason I prioritize my education. My mom always told me and my siblings that we need to live a better life than the one she raised us with, so that’s what’s always motivated me to be successful. With free college, I could give back to my mom for her sacrifices and my community for the support. ⠀ ⠀ Free college would help me show people that coming from a low income area, being raised by a single mother and having a small circle of supporters means you can still be someone big. Yeah, there are those days where I'm like, “if I went to a community college it would have been so much simpler and I would be able to help my mom more and be able to save money and then transfer.” But I'm past that. I can’t go back, I'm already in debt and it's rough, especially since I don't qualify for work study anymore since I missed a deadline and I can't get a job because I don't have a means of transportation. I just wish I could have some sort of income so that I could have savings to pay these loans off. Free college would benefit me so much and benefit people who need it more like DACA students and people with lower incomes. Free college would change our world.” - Odalys Gomez, University of California, Riverside ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #College #Students #Politics #FreeCollege #FreeCollegeTuition #StudentDebt #Advocacy #California #Michigan #Rise #RiseFree #studentsmatter #studentsvoice #freecollegetuition #collegeforall #california #collegelife #highered #studentdebt #realcollege #hopeforstudents
  • “The cost of college today puts us in the position of fitting the 'Broke College Student' stereotype.” - Moises Nolasco Sanchez, Pasadena City College ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ “Free college would be an even greater motivator for me to go to school because I would be able to take more advantage of the resources my school provides. I would also be able to save up money to buy accessories I need for school like a computer, printer, car, etc. I came to college because I want to pursue a career in Anesthesiology and hopefully play division one college baseball. My college experience would be less stressful if I didn’t have to worry about paying for school. The cost of college today puts us in the position of fitting the 'Broke College Student' stereotype. In the back of my head I always have to remember to budget correctly because I have to worry about my phone bill, gas for my car, house supplies and sometimes even groceries. There are also times where I see my parents stressed about money and they don't know how to cover the rent so I choose to help out. People should support free college because it would benefit them. With no fees to worry about, whoever chooses to pursue a higher education will have the opportunity to chase their dreams and accomplish their goals.” - Moises Nolasco Sanchez, Pasadena City College ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #College #Students #Politics #FreeCollege #FreeCollegeTuition #StudentDebt #Advocacy #California #Michigan #Rise #RiseFree #studentsmatter #studentsvoice #freecollegetuition #collegeforall #california #collegelife #highered #studentdebt #realcollege #hopeforstudents
  • In 2019, we came together to empower student voters, fight for free college in California and Michigan, and advocate to end campus hunger and homelessness. In 2020, we're ready to fight even harder for students! We hope you'll join us & happy new year! ✨
  • We agree with Carol! This is why she's our #MondayMotivation ✨ “There are people who can’t financially support their dreams and don’t get a higher education because of the price tag. Maybe one of them is the next best nurse, president or attorney - who knows, but they deserve the chance.” - Carol Martinez, UCLA⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ “Free college is not only bettering the students but the people around them, their community, and a whole life path to being better. Growing up, my parents worked hard, so in order to repay them I do my best in school. They never asked me or my brother for anything, it was just a written promise that we would go to school and be the best we could be so we could have the future we want. I'm passionate about what I want to do - writing and being a journalist. Free tuition would ease the process of college and would be one less thing to worry about. Everyone deserves a chance at an education.” - Carol Martinez, UCLA ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #College #Students #Politics #FreeCollege #FreeCollegeTuition #StudentDebt #Advocacy #California #Michigan #Rise #RiseFree #studentsmatter #studentsvoice #freecollegetuition #collegeforall #california #collegelife #highered #studentdebt #realcollege #hopeforstudents
  • In 2020, we're ready to fight for student parents. #RealCollege
  • “Growing up in a working- class immigrant household, I witnessed all of the sacrifices my family had made for me and I promised myself I would not let all of their efforts to give me a better life go to waste. I'm also just fascinated with learning and in my case, education was my ticket out to secure a better future for myself and my family. Money should NEVER be the reason why somebody is unable to attend college.” - Alexa López, UC Riverside ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ “Growing up in a working- class immigrant household, I witnessed all of the sacrifices my family had made for me and I promised myself I would not let all of their efforts to give me a better life go to waste. I'm also just fascinated with learning and in my case, education was my ticket out to secure a better future for myself and my family. During my first year of college, it was incredibly difficult trying to stay on top of all my expenses and still be able to enjoy the college experience. There were many items I had to sit out of exciting events because I simply did not have any money to spare after paying rent, tuition, and groceries. Even though I no longer live at home, it is not uncommon for me to send my family back home, San Mateo, California, money to pay their bills. During my first year of college, even when I barely had enough money to eat for the week, if my family was in desperate need of money, I’d send them whatever I could. I believe everyone should be able to attend the college they ultimately want to choose, many of my friends had to turn down their dream schools due to lack of finances. It was very upsetting to have witnessed all of their hard work and dedication to school throughout all of high school just to have to opt-out of college because they could not afford it. The price tags on these schools should not be that high.” - - Alexa López, UC Riverside ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ #College #Students #Politics #FreeCollege #FreeCollegeTuition #StudentDebt #Advocacy #California #Michigan #Rise #RiseFree #studentsmatter #studentsvoice #freecollegetuition #collegeforall #california #collegelife #highered #studentdebt #realcollege #hopeforstudents
  • #TBT to our team retreat 🌟🌴It's always nice to have organizers from Michigan, California, and Georgia in one place, and the sunshine doesn't hurt either!

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$7 billion

States Are Spending Less On Higher Education Than Before the Recession

Check out our petition here.


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

Join the students fighting back.


Sign our petition to join the fight for free college.