Iowa Student Grants for College

Grants Offer a Better Path

The state of Iowa has established a website called IowaCollegeAid.gov to provide necessary information on the state’s financial aid programs. There are seven educational grants offered by the state of Iowa to its resident college students as of February 2013.

All Iowa Opportunity Foster Care Grant

The All Iowa Opportunity Foster Care Grant is a way of continuing to support children in the foster care system throughout their college years. There are three ways to qualify: you must age out of either the foster care system itself or the state’s training schools, or you must be adopted after the age of 16.

Any type of college expense, including transportation and living expenses, can be paid with this grant, and this year’s payments range from $2,270 to $8,000. It is important that your application for the limited funding available be early, and renewal applications turned in as of March 1 are always considered first.

Iowa Barber & Cosmetology Arts and Sciences Tuition Grant

The Iowa Barber & Cosmetology Arts and Sciences Tuition Grant is designed to assist state residents in paying for training at particular schools in state, and applications are prioritized by financial need. You will submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and your school’s financial aid office will make the determination of need.

The most you can receive each year is $1,200.

Iowa Grant

The Iowa Grant goes to students in three types of schools: colleges and universities not affiliated with the state, Iowa regent universities (that is, those governed by the higher education authority called the Iowa Board of Regents), and community colleges. Students first in line for funding from this grant program are the children of public safety workers killed on the job.

The largest award possible is the average tuition rate for resident students charged at the regent universities, given to priority students. (For the 2012-2013 academic year, that amount is $6,658.) There is a smaller maximum award for other students of $1,000 per year, given for full-time enrollment and adjustable if you take fewer courses. You must be an undergraduate and a resident of Iowa to qualify.

Iowa National Guard Educational Assistance Grant

The Iowa National Guard Educational Assistance Grant (NGEAP) is reserved for members of the Iowa National Guard who attend in-state schools approved by the Iowa Adjutant General. Currently, the maximum NGEAP award is the same as the priority maximum for the Iowa Grant. Details of eligibility include the following:

• You must reside in Iowa.
• You must belong to either the Iowa Army or Air National Guard during each term in which you receive financial aid.
• You must give a satisfactory performance in your National Guard training and employment.
• Your progress in school must be acceptable and you must not already possess an undergraduate degree.

Iowa Tuition Grant

The Iowa Tuition Grant resembles the Iowa Grant, but is awarded to students at private schools. Its distribution is also prioritized by financial need, and the most you can receive in any given year is $4,000. You may qualify for up to four years of assistance as an undergraduate, and you may be able to request a smaller award for part-time enrollment.

Iowa Vocational-Technical Tuition Grant

The Iowa Vocational-Technical Tuition Grant supports students at Iowa’s community colleges who are pursuing either vocational-technical or career option studies. You can obtain as much as $1,200 a year, but the Vocational-Technical grant will not pay for more than two years. Part-time study (at least three credit hours/12 weeks) is acceptable for a reduced amount.

Kibbie Grant (Iowa Skilled Workforce Shortage Tuition Grant)

The Kibbie Grant, also known as the Iowa Skilled Workforce Shortage Tuition Grant, works a little differently: the maximum amount given in one year is only half the average of education expenses (tuition plus mandatory fees) at any Iowa community college, and the award can be received for only two years rather than four. The Kibbie Grant is also available for part-time students in lesser amounts.

Grants From Iowa Schools

If you check the financial aid pages of the various Iowa colleges and universities, you will find other grants intended to support college-bound Iowa students. As an example, the IMAGES grant, also known as the Iowa Minority Academic Grant for Economic Success, is described on the University of Iowa’s financial aid page as based on financial need and restricted to minority students (African-American, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, American Indian, or Alaskan Native are all acceptable). Other requirements for IMAGES include a twenty-four hour course load for the academic year as a whole, earning a 2.0 GPA.

Recipients must enroll for at least six hours per semester and grant financing can continue for a total of eight semesters. Iowa State University has posted a paragraph on the Officer Education (ROTC) Financial Assistance Grants, which go to Advanced ROTC students participating in any program (Army, Navy, or Air Force). Eligible students are given as much as $100 a months for ten months of every year, and the Navy ROTC sometimes extends that offer for a full four years.

You’ll find similar grants listed on the financial page of your Iowa school.

Note: Any of the federal grants for college students are also available to students from Iowa.