All of the students at Bowdoin College will be eligible to receive free Apple devices by next fall semester.
The free devices, which will include an iPad mini tablet and stylus, along with a 13-inch MacBook Pro with academic software installed, are part of the Digital Excellence Commitment initiative, the Times Record reported.
The initiative seeks to offer more equitable access to crucial learning tools, such as computers and tablets, to allow all students the opportunity to thrive while attending the college.
The cost of providing the equipment will not have any impact on students’ tuition costs, Bowdoin College President Clayton Rose told the Times Record. After students graduate, they will have the opportunity to purchase the devices from the college.
The initiative is made possible by a partnership with Apple Inc., and costs for the devices will be covered by the college’s operating budget. Service fees will also be covered by Bowdoin.
The cost for a student to purchase a 13-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,199, while the cost of an iPad mini starts at $449. The Apple Pencil 2nd Generation costs $129. The initiative will cost Bowdoin College approximately $1.5 million a year, spokesperson Doug Cook told the Brunswick newspaper.
The new program will help the college cut down on the space that is required to host its computer labs, and that space could be repurposed to better serve students, Cook said.