Applications now open for Missouri high school and college students – Chillicothe News Constitution-Tribune

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Missouri students have a new option to help pay for their college tuition during their high school years. The Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (MDHEWD) has a new state financial aid program to reimburse students for the cost of dual-credit, dual-enrollment courses. The scholarship application went live today and high schools have been notified that applications are open.

Beginning this semester, the Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment (DC/DE) Scholarship will help cover tuition and fees for students who meet the program’s eligibility criteria. Awards will be prioritized based on financial need, determined by adjusted gross income for the most recent tax year.

The dual credit course is a college level course taught by a high school instructor to high school students who simultaneously earn high school and college level credit for the course. Dual-enrollment courses are college-level courses taught by post-secondary professors to high school students who earn college credit and can earn high school credit for the course.

“We are delighted to help fund students taking college courses in high school,” said Zora Mulligan, Commissioner for Higher Education. “Taking classes early can give students the motivation to enroll in college after high school, and this scholarship can help students who otherwise couldn’t afford those classes get a head start. .”

To be eligible for the DC/DE scholarship, students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, have a GPA of at least 2.5, have attended an A+ designated high school for at least two years, and hold good citizenship of the A+ scholarship. and avoidance of illegal drug and alcohol use.

All scholarships are subject to the availability of funds. The priority deadline for the scholarship is Tuesday, February 1. Students who apply before this date will be the first to be assessed for an award. Students who qualify but apply between February 1 and the final deadline of April 1 will be assessed as funding permits. For the Fall 2022 semester, the priority deadline will be October 1, with the final deadline being December 1.

Semester scholarship amounts are based on actual tuition and fees charged for dual-credit or dual-enrollment courses after the application of all non-loan aid, such as a dual-credit or dual-enrollment scholarship. dual enrollment from a post-secondary institution or a third party. If students are taking dual credit or dual enrollment courses at more than one accredited college or university, they may receive the scholarship at each of them.

Students can submit the scholarship application online and learn more at https://dhewd. mo.gov/ppc/grants/aplusdcdeforstudents. html

Secondary schools and organizations interested in promoting the scholarship can learn more at https://dhewd. mo.gov/ppc/grants/APlusDCDE.php.

During the 2019 legislative session, the General Assembly and Governor Parson signed legislation establishing the Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment Scholarship Program linked to the A+ Scholarship Program. Although the program was enacted in 2019, it was not funded until 2022. Although eligibility and funding are tied to A+, after a public comment period in fall 2021, the department has decided to drop A+ from the name of the new scholarship to help avoid confusion between the two programs.

The A+ scholarship still remains active, with a separate funding line in the state budget. Over $50 million in A+ scholarships were awarded to 14,809 in the 2020-21 academic year.

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