Various Alabama scholarships offered by the state students can pick from about 80 universities and colleges and benefit from important Alabama student financial aid. When the time comes for students to pick a university or college, whether it’d be private or community college, it’s best to narrow down options and see which educational institutions would suit a student best by state. One of the first educational institutions that was built nearly two hundred years ago, in 1831, is the University of Alabama located in Birmingham. On the other hand, the Auburn University is one of the most reputable educational institutions in the state of Alabama, while Troy University is the one that has the highest numbers with regard to enrollment, over 25,000 students, and approximately 18,500 representing the number of undergrad population.
Getting Educational Financial Aid in the State of Alabama
Students who think about studying in Alabama have various options when it comes to financial aid. Scholarships in Alabama are offered by the federal government and any student can fill out an application form called the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA). Nonetheless, apart from the FASFA, students can also benefit from other types of financial aid which aren’t necessarily given for excellent academic achievements or merits and that aren’t considered gifts, thus have to be paid back, unlike scholarships.
Alabama financial aid for educational purposes can take various forms. Students can get fellowships, which are grants or scholarships given to graduate and undergraduate students in universities and colleges. Students can look for college loans, which have to be paid back by the student. Student grants, on the other hand, are similar to scholarships since they are considered gifts which don’t need to be paid back. Waivers are also available and through them a student is allowed to attend school without paying fees or tuition.
Scholarships in Alabama and Working Your Way through School
For students who want to work, there are two types of financial aid available: that of work study and another one called the conversion/scholarship loan. For the first, the student gets enrolled into a program that provides them jobs which would help pay the school costs partially. The second one offers Alabama scholarships to students which only have to be paid back through services offered for a certain time period; very similar to volunteering. For example, a student can get a scholarship and ‘pay’ for it by working as a teacher or a nurse for a certain time; if the student fails to provide the services he or she signed up for when getting the scholarship, then the scholarship will become a loan which will not only need to be paid back in full, but also with interest.
The first step a student needs to make in order to get an Alabama state scholarship is to apply for colleges or universities of his or her choice. Once this is done and the student gets the acceptance letter, the next step is to contact the financial aid of that particular institution. Each institution has different types of financial aid available for students and the general deadline for applications in Alabama colleges and universities is June 30, but this may vary depending on each institution.
Scholarships by State of Alabama
The Alabama Teacher Recruitment Incentive Program (ATRIP) is one of the most popular scholarships in the state and is addressed towards students who consider a teaching career. Through this program, one hundred 4-year Alabama state scholarships, amounting $20,000 each, are awarded each year to high school seniors. Moreover, other scholarships are also available for professionals who seek a career in teaching and want to get a degree. In order to get an ATRIP scholarship, a student needs to not only have good grades in critical teaching areas such as English Language of Arts, Special Education, Math and General Science, but also qualify from a financial needs point of view.
The Alabama GI Dependents’ Educational Benefit Program is offered to students who are either spouses or children of Alabama veterans with disabilities. Through this financial aid program, a student can take care of tuition, other school fees and book-costs. This Alabama scholarship is only available for students attending post-secondary institutions and who are undergrads. Students who want to fill out an application form can obtain one from the Alabama State Department of Veterans Affairs, while keeping in mind that this Alabama scholarship isn’t available for students in private schools.
The Alabama Student Assistance Program is yet another option offered by the state which can partially help out with educational costs. This Alabama grant can be provided to Alabama residents on a yearly basis for academic purposes and usually amounts between $300 and $2,500. The best thing is that this program is accepted in 80 Alabama colleges and universities.
Special Alabama Scholarship Programs
Apart from the sources of financing presented above, there are other scholarships in Alabama addressed towards adult students and American Indians. The Senior Adult Scholarship Program is offered to students over the age of 60 who attend 2-year post-secondary educational institutions. Through this program the entire cost of the tuition is waivered at any post-secondary institution in Alabama.
On the other hand, the Alabama Indian Affairs Commission Scholarship is for American-Indian undergrads in need of financial aid for educational purposes. However, students need to be members of the seven tribes recognized by the federal government in order to benefit from this Alabama scholarship. Students who want to learn more about this program and get an application form need to contact the Alabama Indian Affairs Commission based in Montgomery.
Students who wish to study in Alabama have a great variety of options available. However, in order to make sure that a student qualifies for a particular program, the financial office of each institution should be contacted. Alabama scholarships and grants are of great help for the students who need them, so if you want to learn more about these programs, check out the resources links provided below.
Resources for students looking for state scholarships in Alabama
Read about FAFSA
Check out the Alabama Student Loan Program: http://alabamacollegeloanprogram.com/website/aclp/home
Information on financial aid offered by the Alabama state: http://www.alabama.gov/sliverheader/Welcome.do?url=http://ache.alabama.gov/Students&Parents/PayingforCollege.htm