Student Aid
The following is a partial list of the major financial aid programs available from the State of Wisconsin and other sources. The Higher Education Aids Board (HEAB) is responsible for administration of some of these programs. The process for financial aid through the HEAB is the same as for federal financial aid: complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after January 1 for the next academic year. Information about federal loans and programs is best found in the Student Guide.
AmeriCorps
Academic Competitiveness Grant
Academic Excellence Scholarship
Education Savings Accounts
HOPE Scholarship
Lawton Undergraduate Minority Retention Grant
The Lifetime Learning Tax credit
National Smart Grant
Minnesota-Wisconsin Reciprocity Program
Talent Incentive Program (TIP)
Hearing and Visually Handicapped Student Grant
Wisconsin Higher Education Grant (WHEG)
Wisconsin Indian Student Assistance Grant
AmeriCorps
This National and Community Service program provides full-time education awards of up to $4,725 a year for up to 2 years of community service. A student must complete 1,700 hours of community service. Students can work before or after they go to college, graduate school, or trade school and can use the funds either to pay current education expenses or to repay federal student loans.
Academic Competitiveness Grant
The Academic Competitiveness Grant will provide up to $750 for the first year of undergraduate study and up to $1,300 for the second year of undergraduate study to full-time students who are U.S citizens, eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, and who have successfully completed a rigorous high school program , as determined by the state or local education agency and recognized by the Secretary of Education. Second year students must also have maintained a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0. The program is avaiable for the 2006-07 school year for first year students who graduated from high school after January 1, 2006 and for second year students who graduated from high school after January 1, 2005. The ACG award is in addition to the student's Pell Grant award.
Academic Excellence Scholarship
Academic Excellence Scholarships are awarded to Wisconsin high school seniors who have the highest grade point average in each public and private high school throughout the state of Wisconsin. The number of scholarships each high school is eligible for is based on total student enrollment. In order to receive a scholarship, a student must be enrolled on a full-time basis by September 30th of the academic year following the academic year in which he or she was designated as a scholar, at a participating University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Technical College, or independent institution in the state. The value of the scholarship is $2,250 per year, to be applied towards tuition. Half of the scholarship is funded by the state, while the other half is matched by the institution.
Education Savings Accounts
Beginning January 1, 1998, families may deposit $500 per year, for each child under age 18, into an Education IRA. Earnings accumulate tax-free and no taxes will be due upon withdrawal if the money is used to pay for post-secondary expenses ( tuition and required fees). The Education IRA is phased out for families with incomes between $150,000 and $160,000, and for single filers between $95,000 and $110,000. Parents and students wanting to learn more about this program should read the Families' Guide to the 1997 Tax Cuts for Education, or review IRS publication 97-60, entitled Questions and Answers on Education Tax Incentives.
HOPE Scholarship
The "HOPE Scholarship" tax credit helps make the first two years of college or vocational school universally available.
The credit can be claimed for students who are in their first two years of college or vocational school and who are enrolled on at least a half-time basis in a degree or certificate program for any portion of the year. Parents and students wanting to learn more about this program should read the Questions and Answers on Education Tax Incentives.
Lawton Undergraduate Minority Retention Grant
The Lawton Grant assists minority undergraduate student attending University of Wisconsin System institutions. This program is need-based and available to students in good academic standing with at least a sophomore standing.
The Lifetime Learning Tax credit
This tax credit is targeted to adults who want to go back to school, change careers, or take a course or two to upgrade their skills and to college juniors, seniors, graduate and professional degree students.
The Lifetime Learning tax credit is available for tuition and required fees less grants, scholarships, and other tax-free educational assistance; families may claim the credit for amounts paid on or after July 1, 1998 for college or vocational school enrollment beginning on or after July 1, 1998. Parents and students wanting to learn more about this program should read Tax Incentives for Higher Education Expenses.
Minnesota-Wisconsin Reciprocity Program
Wisconsin residents may attend a Minnesota public college or university and pay the reciprocity tuition charged by that institution. All academic programs are eligible except for the professional programs in fields of Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine. A one-time application must be filed when the student begins his or her Minnesota program. These applications are available from the high school guidance office. For more information about reciprocity, contact HEAB.
Minnesota residents may attend University of Wisconsin institutions and pay reciprocity tuition. Minnesota students should contact the Office of Higher Education in Minnesota for more details.
National Smart Grant
The National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant, also known as the National Smart Grant is available during the third and fourth years of undergraduate study to full-time students who are eligible for the Federal Pell Grant and who are majoring in physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, technology, or engineering or in a foreign language determined critical to national security. The student must also have maintained a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 in coursework required for the major. The National SMART Grant award is in addition to the student's Pell Grant award.
A National SMART Grant will provide up to $4,000 for each of the third and fourth years of undergraduate study to full-time students who are eligible for a Federal Pell Grant and who are majoring in physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, technology, or engineering or in a foreign language determined critical to national security.
An Excel spreadsheet of approved National Smart Grant Major is available for download here.
Talent Incentive Program (TIP)
The TIP program provides grant funds to very needy students. Students at both public and private institutions in Wisconsin are eligible for TIP awards of up to $1,800 a year. To apply, complete and submit the FAFSA form, and submit a Wisconsin Educational Opportunity Program (WEOP) form, available from any WEOP office.
Hearing and Visually Handicapped Student Grant
The Hearing and Visually Handicapped program assists students who are legally blind or deaf with grant of up to $1,800 a year, based on need. To apply, complete the FAFSA plus the HEAB Blind/Deaf Certification Form.
Wisconsin Higher Education Grant (WHEG)
The WHEG program provides Wisconsin students attending the University of Wisconsin System and the Wisconsin Technical College System campuses with grants up to $1,800 per academic year, for a maximum of 10 semesters. To be eligible for a WHEG grant a student must be a Wisconsin resident and have financial need.
Wisconsin Indian Student Assistance Grant
Wisconsin residents with one-quarter or more Native American heritage with financial need may be eligible for education grants. Application is made by the student through use of a Joint Board-Bureau Indian Affairs Tribal form in addition to the FAFSA. |
