Frequently Asked Questions
Once enrolled in the program, do students need to achieve a certain grade point average?
Yes. Students entering the program pledge to graduate from a Performance Based Accredited Indiana high school with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 on a 4-point scale. Once students are in college, they must maintain satisfactory academic progress in order to continue to receive the scholarship.
What if household income changes between the time of enrollment and graduation?
Once enrolled, an increase in family income will not affect a student’s eligibility to participate in the program.
What is a student is not promoted to the next grade during high school or if a student skips a grade?
Scholars who are not promoted or who skip a grade level must contact the Scholars program’s enrollment center at 888.528.4719 to update their records. Provided all other requirements are met, they may continue in the program.
Can a scholar use the scholarship if they graduate from high school early?
Yes. The Scholar must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and a Pledge affirmation form before the March deadline off their junior year of high school in order to activate the award early. Scholars also should inform the Scholars program of their plans by contacting the enrollment center at 888.528.4719.
Can students receive the program award if they obtain a GED or complete a home schooling program?
No. Students who receive a GED or complete a home schooling program are not eligible to receive the award.
Must a scholar enroll in college immediately after high school graduation? No. Students have up to two years to begin using their awards. Graduating seniors who decide to delay entrance into college, however, must complete the affirmation form during their senior year by the March deadline. Students also must submit the FAFSA by the March deadline each of the years they delay college enrollment.
What steps must eligible Scholars take to use their scholarships?
- Meet the requirements and be enrolled in the Scholars program.Maintain Indiana residency, as determined by the permanent residence of his/her parent or legal guardian.
- Submit during his/her high school senior year and by the March deadline an affirmation form to Twenty-first Century Scholars Program, 150 W. Market St., Suite 500, Indianapolis, IN 46204. To obtain an affirmation form, call the enrollment center at 888.528.4719.
- Apply to and be admitted to an eligible Indiana college, university or technical school as a high school senior. A list of eligible colleges can be obtained at www.scholars.in.gov.
- Submit the FAFSA by the March deadline during the senior y ear of high school. Note that the FAFSA must be submitted every year by the March deadline the semester prior to a student attending college. Scholars should receive a FAFSA in the mail but also can get one at their high school or college or apply online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
- Fix any errors on your FAFSA by the June deadline.
- Respond by set deadlines to any request for additional information from the Scholars program, the State Student Assistance Commission or their college.
Once accepted and enrolled in an eligible institution, payments will be paid directly to the college by the state of Indiana. Money will not be paid directly to the student. Can the scholarship be used if a Scholar is enrolled in college courses as a part-time student? No. Scholars must enroll full time, defined as at least 12 credit hours per semester.
Where can I use my Scholars award?
The award can be used at an eligible public, private or proprietary school in Indiana. You can get a list of all schools eligible to receive Scholars awards at www.ssaci.IN.gov, www.scholars.in.gov. Schools outside the state of Indiana are not eligible to receive Scholar funds.
Can students receive the scholarship if they transfer, stop or drop out once they begin college?
Yes. The Scholarship is renewable for a total of eight semesters once the award has been activated and the student maintains satisfactory academic progress. The student has 10 years to use all eight semesters from the first semester the awards is used.
What happens if a Scholar decides to serve in the military, causing the student to exceed the two-year window given to Scholars once they graduate from high school?
A student who exceeds the two-year window due to service in the military needs to submit a letter of appeal to Twenty-first Century Scholars Appeals, 150 W. Market St., Suite 500, Indianapolis, IN 46204.
What does the Scholars program scholarship cover? The scholarship covers tuition and regularly assessed fees at a public institution. The scholarship covers only a portion of the tuition and fees at a private school. At proprietary schools, the scholarship is the same as if the student were to attend Ivy Tech State College. Note that at all schools that charge by the credit hour, the scholarship covers a maximum of 15 credit hours per term. The scholarship does not cover the cost of books, room and board, parking, lab fees or any other fees assessed that are not assessed to all students.
Will the Scholars program scholarship pay for enrollment in summer classes?
No. The scholarship only applies to enrollment in fall and spring semesters or fall, winter and spring trimesters or quarters.
Does a Scholar need to do anything if the college listed as his/her first choice on the FAFSA is not the school he/she decides to attend?
Yes. Scholars who decide to attend any college other than the one listed as their first choice on their FAFSA must change their college ASAP in one of three ways: on the web at www.ssaci.IN.gov/estudent, by fax at 317.232.3260 or by mail at Twenty-first Century Scholars Program, 150 W. Market St., Suite 500, Indianapolis, IN 46204.
My award notice from my college shows the program as paying only a small portion of my tuition. Why?
The Twenty-first Century Scholars Program scholarship is a supplemental scholarship, meaning it is applied only after all other tuition-specific aid is applied. The scholarship has maximum limits set by state law.
Won’t students pay more of their own money if they attend a private college rather than a public college? Not necessarily. Private colleges are generally more expensive than public colleges and while the program scholarship only pays an equivalent state rate at private institutions, private colleges often offer more institutional financial aid.
What support is available to scholars once they are enrolled in college?
Colleges must provide support services to scholars who enroll in their school. Scholars are not required to participate in the support programs provided by their college but this support is to their advantage. Support services vary widely from one college to another, but examples of support include tutoring assistance, financial aid assistance and personal assistance in adapting to college life, social opportunities and service opportunities.