Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Governor Culver Announces New Online Application Process For The All Iowa Opportunity Scholarship
Convenient Online Application Makes Applying Quicker and Easier
Des Moines – Governor Chet Culver announced today that the All Iowa Opportunity Scholarship application process is now available online for the 2008-2009 academic year. The All Iowa Opportunity Scholarship, which was signed into law by Governor Culver on May 29, 2007, provides scholarship assistance to students at risk of not pursuing postsecondary education because of social and financial barriers.
“The All Iowa Opportunity Scholarship is a first-of-its-kind program designed to help students in need receive the education they deserve,” stated Governor Culver. “We must continue to work together to expand needs-based access to higher education and fully fund this important scholarship. The All Iowa Opportunity Scholarship not only gives more students greater opportunities, but in addition strengthens our workforce to allow us to meet our future workforce needs. There is an overwhelming demand for this program, as we saw by the number of applicants last year. With the earlier release of the convenient online application process, I expect the number of applicants to be even greater this year.”
High school seniors who will graduate with the class of 2008 are eligible to apply for the All Iowa Opportunity
Scholarship if they meet the following criteria:
- Iowa resident who begins his or her initial period of enrollment at an eligible Iowa college or university within two academic years of graduation from high school;
- Iowa high school graduate who graduated from high school with at least a 2.5 cumulative grade point average (GPA) on a 4.0 grade scale or its equivalent;
- Enrolls for at least three semester hours, or the trimester or quarter equivalent, in a program leading to an undergraduate degree from an eligible Iowa college or university;
- Completes a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the date specified in the application instructions; and
- Completes any additional applications or documents required by the Commission.
“We strive to make the application process easy and convenient for Iowa students. Applying for our programs, including the All Iowa Opportunity Scholarship, is now quicker and easier,” said Karen Misjak, Executive Director of the Iowa College Student Aid Commission. “We hope our online process will contribute to even more deserving students applying for and receiving assistance through state programs.”
The 2008-2009 online application is available for students who will attend college from August 1, 2008 through May 31, 2009 and can be accessed from the “Forms and Applications” section of the Commission’s website at www.iowacollegeaid.gov. Priority will be given to students whose applications are received on or before May 1, 2008 and who also participate in the federal TRIO Programs while in high school, graduate from alternative high schools or programs, or who are homeless youth.
For more details about the All Iowa Opportunity Scholarship, as well as other state grants and scholarships, please visit the Iowa College Student Aid Commission’s website www.IowaCollegeAid.gov, email the Commission at info@IowaCollegeAid.gov, or call an Information Service Center Specialist at 877-272-4456.