Getting College Financial Aid as a Student in Delaware
Make Your Hard Work Pay Off
Delaware has about a dozen colleges and universities within its borders, including the state universities and the technical and community colleges. There are both private and public institutions. The Delaware Higher Education Commission administers the state's scholarship and grant programs.
General Scholarships and Grants
The Scholarship Incentive Program is one of the state's need-based grants designed for students in a state college or university. Most of the grants are for undergraduates, but some graduate students may qualify. Pennsylvania public colleges and universities are also included. Maximum awards are $2200 and $1000 for undergraduate and graduate respectively.
The Governor's Workforce Development Grant is designed to provide part-time, non-traditional adults with a chance to earn a degree or certificate. Eligible applicants must be employed part-time if able with an employer who contributes monetarily to the associated fund. Qualified students will receive grants based on financial need to attend part time programs at participating colleges and universities within the state.
A recent addition to Delaware's cadre of scholarships and grants is the SEED program. The Student Excellence Equals Degree program is designed to offer middle of the road scholars a leg up in academic opportunity. Now more talented students may be realized. Qualified students must be enrolled in the University of Delaware or at one of the state's technical or community colleges. Apply by completing the FAFSA. This is a merit and need-based program.
Students who lead their graduating high school class may qualify for the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship. The federally funded program provides $1500 scholarships to dozens of honors-level students in every state. This award is solely based on merit and students with the highest GPA and ACT/SAT scores will most likely qualify. School officials are also looking for those high achievers who are outstanding in leadership and community service, as well. Eligible students must already be accepted to a four-year college or university degree program to be considered. Recipients may renew up to 3 more years with adequate academic showmanship.
The Diamond State Scholarships are also merit-based and similar in criteria to the Byrd Scholars program. The difference is that applicants must attend a college or university in Delaware to receive scholarship gifts. Academic standards are similar and awards are up to $1200 per academic year.
Delaware students with an aptitude for writing may consider trying their hand at the Legislative Essay Scholarships. The contest is open to students who are Delaware residents and college bound to a four-year program at the University of Delaware. Winners of the essay contest may win very valuable scholarships anywhere between $1000 and $10,000.
Delaware sponsors three memorial scholarships: The Bradford Barnes Memorial Scholarship awards a free ride to the University of Delaware for a student who has shown academic merit. The program is renewable for 3 years. The Hermann Holloway, Sr. Memorial Scholarship is awarded based on a combination of merit and need. Students who qualify receive full tuition at Delaware State University. The Charles Hebner Memorial Scholarship is both merit and need-based. Students must be pursuing a particular field of study either at the University of Delaware or Delaware State University.
Specialized Studies Scholarships and Grants
Teachers are always in-demand and many states have instituted attractive scholarships, grants and loan repayment programs with the intent to encourage teaching students to stay within the state. In most cases students may receive up to the cost of tuition in exchange for teaching within either an underserved school or in a subject area that is in need of teachers:
- The Delaware Teachers Corps is open to undergraduate and graduate teaching students attending a DE public university. Qualified applicants must be specializing in a subject that is in demand.
- Teaching students attending any Delaware college or university might explore the Christa McAuliffe Teacher Incentive Program. Students may qualify for tuition in exchange for work in a Delaware public school and in a subject area determined to be in need.
- The Delaware Critical Needs Scholarship offers tuition reimbursement to working teachers who are interested in pursuing studies in a "critical needs area."
- Graduate level students pursuing a program in library science may be interested in the Library and Archivist Incentive Program. This program offers loan repayment for library science students who will be working in the Delaware public school system.
- See some national teaching related scholarships.
Students attending a Delaware college or university in a health care field such a nursing, dentistry, family medicine and a host of others, may be eligible for one of the following programs:
- Nursing students enrolled in a program that leads them to RN, LPN or BSN certifications may qualify for the Delaware Nursing Incentive Applicants who agree to work in a public/underserved facility in the state may qualify to receive full tuition. See some national nursing related scholarships.
- Students applying for the Optometry Incentive Loan must agree to work in the state following graduation.
- If you are a student pursuing a health profession, consider the Delaware State Loan Repayment Program for Health Professionals.
- Speech/Language Pathologist Incentive Program
- See some national medical related scholarships.
Interested in studying Veterinary Medicine? Two Delaware students are given free rides to the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine each year. The same is true for Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
We referece the state funding found at the these two websites:
The Delaware Higher Education Commission
The Delaware SEED Scholarship
