Associated Press - August 6, 2009 8:44 AM ET

PHOENIX (AP) - Incoming students from the Maricopa Community College District enrolled in 1 of the 20 most-popular transfer-degree programs will now be treated like Arizona State University freshmen.

The agreement is aimed at keeping tuition rates down for students pursuing degrees who transfer to ASU within three years of beginning community college.

ASU's annual tuition increases will be capped at 5% when students start community college.

When they transfer, their tuition costs will not exceed what they would have paid had they started at ASU their first year.

The program is aimed at bolstering the number of students earning bachelor degrees.

Government and education leaders said the community-college program should help them increase to 36,000 from 18,000 the number of students who graduate each year with bachelor's degrees.

Information from: The Arizona Republic, http://www.azcentral.com

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.