Miami Dade College will offer its unprecedented American Dream Scholarship, which covers its in-state tuition and fees for the first two years of college, to all of Miami-Dade County’s hardworking, newly graduated high school seniors who want a quality education but could not otherwise afford it. The American Dream Scholarship is a vital safety net that picks up where other aid and scholarships leave off, ensuring that bright, qualified students have the means to continue their education.

“To fully participate in our current economy, a high school diploma is not enough, even though it is a necessary first step,” said College President Dr. Eduardo J. Padrón in a letter to local principals regarding the scholarship. “The question is not whether students should go to college, but how can we make it happen.”

MDC is achieving this dream thanks to the community’s record-breaking efforts of raising millions of dollars for the 50th anniversary of Miami Dade College, which started as a junior college on scrub land and now, as the nation’s largest institution of higher learning, serves more than 174,000 students.

“Miami Dade College truly changes lives,” added Padrón. “Doctors, engineers, lawyers, police officers and other professionals started their journeys toward successful careers at Miami Dade College.”

To qualify for the scholarship, graduating seniors with a minimum 3.0 GPA must show they are college-ready.

The unprecedented, aptly titled scholarship is the most recent effort in MDC’s long history of providing the opportunity for an outstanding education to everyone. In its five decades, Miami Dade College has served nearly two million students in its more than 300 programs and majors, including seven bachelor’s degrees.