STATE OF NEVADA FINANCIAL AID PROGRAMS

The following are financial aid programs available to students who are residents of the state of Nevada. For more detailed information on state financial aid programs contact: http://www.nafaaweb.org/

Nevada Millennium Scholarship

High school graduating seniors with good grades can receive a Millennium Scholarship for college. To be eligible, students who graduate with the class of 2006 must earn an overall high school GPA of at least a 3.1; those who graduate with the classes of 2012 and later are required to earn an overall GPA of at least a 3.25. In addition, students must pass all areas of the Nevada High School Proficiency Exam, earn a diploma and have been residents of the state of Nevada at least two of their high school years. Students who graduate from an out-of-state high school may be eligible if their parents were Nevada residents at least the last two years of the student’s high school years.

If you meet all the requirements, you’ll receive a letter from the Millennium Scholarship Program within the Office of the Nevada State Treasurer in the summer identifying you as a Millennium Scholarship recipient and stating the conditions for receiving and maintaining the award.

Community college students receive $40 per credit hour, state college students receive $60 per credit hour, and university and Sierra Nevada College students receive $80 per credit hour. The total aggregate value of your award is a maximum of $10,000.

To learn more, contact the Millennium Scholarship Program at toll free 888.477.2667 (or 702.486.3383 if calling from Las Vegas) or go to www.nevadatreasurer.com and click on Millennium Scholarship. For more information about how to maintain your eligibility once you enroll, contact your college’s financial aid office.

State Grants

Nevada public colleges and universities offer various grant opportunities that are funded by the state. Each college has designed programs that best serve its student population. Some programs are only for Nevada residents, while others are open to nonresidents. Most grants are need-based, but some may not require documented need. Information on two of the grant programs follows. Keep in mind that not all programs are offered at all colleges. To learn more, contact your college’s financial aid office.

Access Grant

The Access Grant is for undergraduate and graduate students who have financial need and are Nevada residents. The maximum award is $3,000 for graduate students and $2,500 for undergraduates, but the amount can vary depending on your cost of attendance, enrollment status, living arrangements and availability of funds.

Nevada Student Incentive Grant

This grant is for qualified low-income undergraduate and graduate students who are Nevada residents. The award amount varies by type of colleges, college costs, enrollment status and living arrangements.

College Grants and Scholarships

Many of Nevada’s public and independent colleges offer their own grant and scholarship programs. Scholarships are available from a variety of sources, both on and off campus. Most of them are awarded primarily for academic merit, but financial need may also be considered. To learn more, contact each college’s financial aid or scholarship office when applying for admission. Be sure to ask about application deadlines.

Unique College Loans

Some Nevada colleges offer their own student loans. For example, there’s the Blundell loan at the University of Nevada, Reno. This loan is need-based and has an interest rate of 5 percent. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, has the low-cost Knights Templar student loan. Contact your college’s financial aid office for more information and application procedures.

Tribal Scholarships

If you’re a Native American, your tribe or nation may offer scholarships. To learn more, contact your tribe using the tribal directory here or call the regional office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Sacramento, California, at 916.978.6058 or go to www.oiep.bia.edu.

Many tribes and the BIA require a “needs analysis” from the college’s financial aid office to document eligibility, so be sure to file your FAFSA early. You’ll also find scholarships for Native Americans at www.collegefund.org.

Foster Youth Grants

Up to $5,000 a year for college or vocational training is available for foster youth who have aged out of foster care or who were adopted after age 16. To learn more, talk to your high school counselor, your independent living coordinator, your college’s financial aid administrator, go to www.statevoucher.org and click on “Nevada,” or call 775.684.4450.

A number of foundations also offer tuition waivers and scholarships for foster youth. The Otto A. Huth Scholarship Trust Fund is available to children who have been in the custody of the Nevada Division of Child and Family Services in a foster or group home. The application deadline is March 15 of each year. For more information, go to www.dcfs.state.nv.us (click on “Scholarships”). In addition, the CASA Foundation provides up to $500 per semester for foster youth. For details, call 702.455.4306.

WICHE Student Exchanges

Undergraduate and graduate programs through the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education offer Nevada residents the opportunity to attend selected out-of-state schools at a special reduced tuition rate. To learn more, write to the Certifying Officer for Nevada, WICHE Student Exchange Program, Mail Drop 304, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557-0116 or call 775.784.4900 or go to www.wiche.state.nv.us/NevadaWiche.htm.

Prepaid Tuition and Savings Plans

Nevada residents can save for their children’s college tuition through the state’s Prepaid Tuition Program. The program now offers two options: The Prepaid Tuition option lets parents purchase a Prepaid Tuition contract and open a savings plan account to start saving for college; the other option is Upromise ^®, College Savings Plan, the state’s 529 plan, which offers a variety of investment options. The money can be used at any college in the country. To learn more, go to www.nevadatreasurer.com and click on College Savings.

National Guard Tuition Waiver

If you’re a Nevada National Guard member or recruit, you may be eligible for a tuition fee waiver at one of Nevada’s public colleges. Check with your National Guard unit for details.