Rhode Island Scholarships and Grants
Get Big Funding in the Smallest State
The Rhode Island Higher Education Assistance Authority is responsible for administering the state's scholarships and grants. The organization's goals are to provide programs that take every student's interests, both academic and financial, into consideration.
General Scholarships and Grants
Perhaps the most accessible to many Rhode Island students is the Rhode Island State Grant Program. Students may apply for this need-based grant simply by filling out the FAFSA. Typical awards are between $250 and $1400 and may be applied toward tuition costs at colleges and universities throughout North America.
Rhode Island students with financial need and solid ACT/SAT scores will automatically be considered for the CollegeBoundfund® Academic Promise Scholarship program. Eligible students are awarded up to $2500 per academic year that may be used at colleges and universities across the United States.
The federally funded Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarships are awarded to dozens of academically talented students annually. Students in each state are chosen from among their peers to receive $1500 scholarships to any college or university in the United States, except for a military academy. Criteria for selection are class rank, GPA, SAT/ACT score, participation in activities and acceptance to a four-year college program. The scholarship is renewable for up to another 3 years if students maintain the program's academic standards.
The University of Rhode Island is the state's largest public university. Besides the main Kingston campus, there are three other URI locations within this tiny state. Like most institutions URI offers eligible students need and merit based grants and scholarships. Students enrolled in the university may qualify for grants that provide a significant portion of the U's tuition costs; and students with abilities in particular subject areas may be eligible to receive scholarships directly through the various colleges/departments.
Roger Williams University, located in Bristol, RI, provides students with nearly a dozen merit-based scholarships. Scholastically driven students with GPAs from 3.0 to 3.5 and above will be eligible for awards. RWU also administers a changing mix of private endowments and scholarships that offer more granular criteria. The university offers 35 majors and features a notable Law School and Architecture program.
Specialized Studies Programs
Eligible students studying in a health profession (nurse midwife, nurse practitioner, physician, physician's assistant, ect.) may qualify for the Rhode Island Health Professional Loan Repayment Program. Like other programs of its kind, the goal is to shore up health care shortages in medically underserved facilities or areas of the state. By offering loan repayment incentives the state may staff problem facilities with graduates willing to work in exchange for tuition.
