Missouri offers new grant for adult students

Missouri’s new financial aid program, Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant, is geared toward adult students working to obtain a certificate, degree or industry-recognized credential in a high-demand career field.

“I think it really fills a need that we have,” said Leroy Wade, the deputy commissioner of the Department of Higher Education. “There seems to be a lot of interest and energy around this.”

The grant is called a last tuition and dollar program, Wade said. The grant fills in any gap leftover after all financial aid is applied toward a person’s tuition.

Eligibility requirements include:

Applicant must be 25 years old or above Applicants must be out of school for a minimum of two years if younger than 25 A single person must make less than $40,000 per year A married person must make less than $80,000 per year combined

A person must work in Missouri for three years after completing the program. The grant turns into an interest-bearing loan the student must repay if he or she doesn’t follow this work requirement.

Wade said a unique attribute of the grant is it allows students to attend school part-time.

The state appropriated $10 million for the program’s first year, he said.

Applications are currently open, and Wade said the money will likely be awarded in October. Find an approved program at an eligible institution, here.

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