I don't think Cooper Union charges tuition. Who pays for it, I don't know. It's a well thought of art school, to my knowledge. Apparently filled with communists and lovers of authority.
Cooper Union has not charged tuition in my memory. It was, and is I believe, an excellent school of engineering and architecture. It may heve incorporated the arts asplaces like Parsons School and the New School have also done. I believe the funding is privately endowed. It was at The Coope Union that Abraham Licoln made his most famous pre presidency speech. I guess the standards in oratorical guests have fallen quite a bit since 1860.