This. I wonder why the US doesn't seem to have such a system. The process is quite easy: The company pays the tuition fees and selects a person that satisfies

This. I wonder why the US doesn't seem to have such a system. The process is quite easy: The company pays the tuition fees and selects a person that satisfies their requirements (not necessarily good grades). The person works for the company and studies while being paid consistently a low but fair salary. About three years later the company can decide if they want to keep the employee who just earned a bachelors degree. There a few down-sides (studying is harder and it is not available for all study paths), but in general there are many up-sides: - no debt - selection based on more than grades - nobody cares how much you parents can pay - deeper experience than internships - combination of practical experience and academic degree To add some anecdotal evidence: AFAIK, the current CEO of SAP started his career with a similar program.