Low-income college and university students just received another financial-aid opportunity from the state.
Gov. Janet Napolitano announced Tuesday that $1 million in new financial-aid funding from the U.S. Department of Education will be available to continuing students who demonstrate financial need, said Shilo Mitchell, a spokeswoman for the governor.
“It’s another option for students who want to pursue higher education,” Mitchell said. “It could ensure that students who may not have the opportunity get that opportunity.”
Students must have completed at least one year of higher education and meet other eligibility requirements to apply.
Applicants could receive up to a $2,000 grant per year for two years. Students may apply for grants from the Arizona College Access Aid Program online at azgrants.gov.
“A good education — and higher education in particular — will be necessary to compete in Arizona’s 21st century economy,” Napolitano said in a press release. “In these tough economic times, this grant will open the door for Arizona students to continue pursuing college degrees, who may not have been able to otherwise.”
ASU’s financial-aid office did not provide comment on the grant program by press time.
The grants to low-income students are funded by a $2.7 million award the state of Arizona received through the U.S. Department of Education’s College Access Challenge Grant, which helps low-income students prepare for and attend college.
The $1.7 million that’s not distributed directly to students will be used to provide competitive grants to college access programs. These programs help low-income students and families prepare for higher education, Mitchell said.
The purpose of the federal grant program is to foster partnerships among federal, state, and local governments and philanthropic organizations through matching challenge grants that are aimed at increasing the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.
Reach the reporter at philip.haldiman@asu.edu.
