The United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, North Dakota, hosted commencement exercises on May 8, 2015. Photo from Facebook

The United Tribes Technical College in North Dakota will be waiving tuition for all qualified students for the upcoming school year.

The pilot program will last one year. It will allow members of federally recognized tribes to attend the institution without taking out loans or seeking other financial assistance.

“As a tribal college, it’s our mission, first and foremost, to serve the education needs of tribes and tribal people,” President Leander “Russ” McDonald said on UTTC's website. “To make higher education attainable, we’ve determined that it’s necessary to do the financial piece in ways that do not exclusively rely on student loans.”

Students are being encouraged to apply early for the fall 2016 term. The deadline to file is June 30.

The program will last through the spring 2017 and the summer 2017 terms. University officials will examine its effectiveness next year.