Generales

By Carlos Olimpo Restrepo S., Journalist at UdeA Communications Office  

UdeA began offering tuition waivers in 2002 for students from socioeconomic strata 1 and 2. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the university expanded this support to include those from stratum 3. This early commitment to educational access and student retention now works with two major initiatives: the national “Free Tuition Policy” and the “Zero Tuition Medellín-Sapiencia District” program. Keep the following points in mind when applying for these benefits.

Around 85% of undergraduates at the Universidad de Antioquia benefit from the institution’s free tuition initiatives. Photo: UdeA Communications Office / Alejandra Uribe F. 

In both semesters of 2024, over 32,000 Universidad de Antioquia students qualified for full tuition coverage by meeting the criteria established by UdeA, the national government, and the Medellín District. These coordinated efforts aim to expand access to higher education for students facing economic hardship. 

As of December 1, 2024, the Universidad de Antioquia reported 37,456 undergraduate students, according to data from the Systematic Enrollment and Registration Platform (Mares). Of these, 35,173 students are from socioeconomic strata 1, 2, and 3. Thanks to various financial support programs, 31,879 students did not pay tuition fees. 

Since 2002, UdeA has pioneered a tuition fee waiver program for students from strata one and two and extended it to stratum three during the COVID-19 pandemic. This groundbreaking initiative has helped thousands of students access higher education and complete their studies. Now called Matrícula Cero UdeA, this program works alongside the national “Free Tuition Policy” and the “Matrícula Cero Medellín-Sapiencia District” initiative, both aimed at improving educational access for students in need. 

Under Rectoral Resolution 51916, issued in December 2024, the university set tuition fees at zero pesos for former undergraduate students of Colombian nationality admitted through the 2023-2026 semester, provided they meet the conditions outlined in the regulation. 

To access this UdeA benefit, students must not hold an undergraduate degree from any higher education institution or be eligible for 100% tuition coverage for other reasons specified by the university. They must also not qualify for the MEN’s Free Tuition Policy, nor should they have a forgivable loan, scholarship, or external funding that covers the full tuition fee, among other criteria. 

You may be interested in: Find out the requirements to qualify for the free undergraduate tuition benefit. 

John Mario Noreña Giraldo, coordinator of the Technical Information Section in the Admissions and Registration Department, explained that since 2023, the institution has been verifying compliance with requirements through state platforms. For instance, the Sisbén platform checks whether students are classified as A, B, or C, as they were before, or if they belong to potentially eligible communities. “We also ensure that students haven’t graduated from an undergraduate program at UdeA or any other higher education institution,” Noreña said. “This process often involves reprocessing, as admissions decisions occur on a specific date, but a student’s situation may change by the time they enroll. They might request a review of their status and shift from ineligible to eligible.” 

At the start of each semester, the university provides a provisional statement to newly admitted and returning students from 2023-2022 to ensure that support for admission and continuation reaches those who need it, while the Ministry of Education and Culture (MEN) and other relevant state entities update their databases. 

Admissions and Records issues the tuition settlement document based on the papers students provide during admission. This document determines their eligibility for the free tuition policy and allows them to enroll without a fee. However, Cindy Castañeda, assistant in the Billing and Portfolio Management process at UdeA, noted, “The settlement includes a message indicating that the amount shown is provisional and that students will undergo a validation process with the Ministry of Education (MEN) to verify their eligibility for these incentives.” 

Erika Osorio Naranjo, Billing and Portfolio Analyst at UdeA, noted that “the university’s tuition waiver program originally included students from strata one, two, and three, and didn’t require applicants to be without a professional degree. Now, the university excludes stratum three from the program, and students must not have graduated from a higher education institution to qualify. The aim is to support those with limited financial resources—regardless of how low the tuition might be—who don’t have a degree and aren’t currently enrolled elsewhere.” 

Support from other entities 

The National Government’s Free Higher Education Policy, established by Law 2307 and Decree 2271 of 2023, outlines several eligibility criteria. Students must be enrolled in an undergraduate program at a public university, not hold a university degree, and belong to socioeconomic strata one, two, or three. The policy also includes students from indigenous or Roma communities, members of Black, Afro-Colombian, Raizal, Palenquera, or peasant populations, victims of armed conflict, and individuals with disabilities. 

Once students enroll, universities review their eligibility and send the information to the Ministry of Education (MEN). The Ministry verifies the data and informs each institution whether the students qualify. Based on this, UdeA issues provisional tuition statements without a payment barcode. Each statement includes a notice explaining that the amount may change. If the Ministry later confirms that a student doesn’t meet the criteria, that student must pay the full tuition. 

If the Ministry later confirms a student’s eligibility for free tuition after the student has paid, they can request a refund through UdeA’s Billing and Portfolio Management Office. 

In 2022, the Medellín City Council approved an agreement establishing zero tuition for students at the District’s Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and those enrolled in public departmental and national HEIs in the city. The Medellín-Sapiencia Postsecondary Education Agency funds this initiative. To qualify, students must meet specific criteria, which are listed here.