How to Get Pledge Scholarships

A lack of personal funds is no longer a barrier to a college education in some states.

Aspiring college students who thought a lack of funds would prevent them from earning a degree are starting to find another avenue for help. States such as Tennessee and Illinois are offering Pledge Scholarships: need-based scholarships specifically for academically qualified students from low-income homes. The state of Washington is currently considering its own Pledge Scholarship fund. This financial aid is 100 percent loan free, covers four years of study and all basic school costs, including tuition, room and board, meals and textbooks.

Instructions

1. Determine your eligibility. Students must come from households that gross a certain income level or lower. In Tennessee, for example, the adjusted gross income is $40,000 or less, and students must be residents of the state.

2. Apply to the participating college in your state by the indicated deadline. For instance, University of Tennessee at Knoxville has a Dec. 1 deadline, while the due date of Illinois' Northwestern University is Jan. 2, at the time of publication. Schools often have early and regular admissions deadlines. Choose the one right for you.

3. Fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid form by Feb. 15 of the calendar year you will start college. A separate application to the Pledge Scholarship is not necessary. The college will determine your qualifications and choose from among the scholarships it offers that is most appropriate to your financial situation.

4. Maintain your standing as per the Pledge Scholarship requirements. For example, UTK applicants must matriculate the fall semester immediately following high school graduation and annually submit the FAFSA application by Feb. 15. Students at Northwestern University, as at UTK, must maintain, earn and maintain at least a 2.0 GPA and federal Satisfactory Academic Progress to continue to receive funding.

Tips & Warnings

• Failure to meet and maintain eligibility requirements will result in loss of scholarship funding.

References

• The Daily Beacon; Pledge Scholarship supports in-state, low-income students; Will Woodbury; November 2005
• University of Tennessee at Knoxville; HOPE, Promise & Pledge
• Northwestern University; Scholarships and Grants; No-Loan Pledge Scholarship
• KPLU; Governor wants more private funding for public universities; Charla Bear; January 2011