Frequently Asked Questions

What does the scholarship pay for?
The Twenty-first Century Scholars award goes toward tuition and regularly assessed fees, such as technology fees, transportation fees, student activity fees, and health services fees. It will not cover other costs associated with college attendance, such as the cost of room and board, travel, books, etc.

As a Twenty-first Century Scholar, can I attend a college outside the state of Indiana?
The Twenty-first Century Scholarship can only be used at an eligible Indiana institution.

What if my child qualifies for the program one year, but then I get a raise?
Once a student is enrolled in the Twenty-first Century Scholars Program, a change in family income will not affect that student's participation in the program.

Who gives the money that supports the Twenty-first Century Scholars Program?
Funding for the program comes from the state of Indiana and a federal GEAR UP grant.

When is the application deadline?
June 30th of a student's 8th grade year is the deadline for receiving applications.

Can I get a GED and use the Twenty-first Century Scholarship?
Students who receive a GED are not eligible to receive this award. Twenty-first Century Scholars must graduate, with a diploma, from a Performance Based Accredited (PBA) high school within the state of Indiana.

Where can I go to college?
The Twenty-first Century Scholars award can be applied to an eligible public, private, technical, or proprietary school in Indiana.

The Twenty-first Century Scholars award did not cover all my tuition and mandatory fees.  Why?
The award is a "last-dollar scholarship,” which means other tuition-specific aid applies first. The Twenty-first Century Scholarship is applied to cover the remainder of the recipient's tuition and fees when the recipient has other scholarships.

When do I get the money?
Money will not be paid directly to the scholar.  Payments are made directly from the state of Indiana to the student's college through a voucher system each semester or quarter. 

Do I have to go to college right after high school?
Students have up to two years to begin using their scholarship. However, students must still complete their affirmation forms during their senior year of high school and FAFSA applications every year of their deferment.

I'm going into the military. How does that affect my scholarship?
Once your service is complete, you must complete the appeal process with the Scholars central office for use of your scholarship funds.

How many semesters does this scholarship cover?
This scholarship covers eight semesters of an undergraduate degree.

I need to take some time off from college. Can I use my scholarship when I come back?               
Scholars have ten years to use all eight semesters, counting from the the first semester the award is used.

Can I go to school part time and use this scholarship?
No.  Scholars must enroll full time, with full time meaning at least 12 credit hours that count towards a degree.

Will the scholarship pay for summer school?
No. It only applies to enrollment in fall and spring semesters or fall, winter, and spring quarters.

I'm going to graduate from high school a semester early. Can I use my scholarship?
If a student plans to graduate a semester early and start college during the spring semester, that student must file a FAFSA and a pledge affirmation form between January and March 1 of his/her JUNIOR year in high school.

What is the maxium income eligibility requirement for a family of 4?
The income eligibility maxium for a family of 4 is $35,798.00.

My scholarship has not hit my account, what do I need to do?
You need to contact the Financial Aid Office at 855-0321.

How can I find out if I have any edits on my FAFSA application?
Use SSACI website, click on estudent , and follow the steps outlined to see if any edits are noted. Failure to correct errors on Fafsa in a timely manner will cause a scholar's award to be denied for the following academic year.

Does the 21 st Century Scholars award pay for Overseas Study tuition and fees?
It can, but only if the Overseas Study program the student is enrolled in is administered by Indiana University. This means that all tuition and fees for the program are paid to and kept by Indiana University. If tuition and fees are paid or sent to a foreign university, the student will not be eligible to use the 21 st Century Scholars award for that semester. The Indiana University Overseas Study Office can inform students as to which of their programs are eligible for state financial aid and which are not.  Finally, the 21 st Century Scholars award cannot be used for summer enrollment regardless of the type of Overseas Study program in which the student is participating.

GEAR UP Summer Scholarship Program

What is the GEAR UP summer scholarship?
Administered by the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana (SSACI), the GEAR UP Summer Scholarship pays up to $1500 for summer school: tuition, and mandatory fees for eligible Twenty-first Century Scholars. Mandatory fees mean: techonology fees, student activity fees, student health fees, and RPS student fees.

Who is eligible?
You must be :

1) Affirmed Twenty-First Century Scholar
2) Either a High school senior entering college for the FIRST TIME who needs to take some summer college preparation courses OR a freshman in college currently receiving a Twenty-First Century Scholarship who needs to take some summer classes to stay on target to meet your graduation date.
3) You must filed your 2008-2009 FAFSA so it is received by the federal processor onor before March 10, 2008.
4) You must fix your FAFSA so that all corrections (also called "edits") are received on or before June10, 2008.

What does the GEAR UP summer scholarship pay for?
Ther is a $1500 total limit for all expenses or the entire summer. The GEAR UP Scholarship can be applied toward tuition and mandatory fees required of all students.

Will this summer scholarship affect my fall scholarship?
No. You are only eligible for the summer GEAR UP scholarship if you are eligible for the academic year 21st Century Scholar scholarship. Receiving summer money will not affect the total amount of aid that you are eligible for in the next academic year.

Can I get this summer scholarship again?
Yes. The State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana (SSACI) has converted to a renewable format for all Scholars. The GEAR UP summer scholarship may be renewed upon the discretion of SSCAI. Students who have received the GEAR UP summer scholarship in years past may reapply for this summer. As long as there is money available next year, eligibility requirements are expected to remain the same.

Will GEAR UP pay me?
No. GEAR UP will pay your summer school after that school pays the bills for the course(s) that SSACI approved.

Where should I send my application, once I have filled in the Applicant Information & Scholar Agreement sections?
Send it to the certifying official at the degree-granting institution that you plan to attend in the fall. If you are coming to IU Bloomington, send it to Patrick D. Smith, Eigenmann 603 South, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405-7101.

Who will sign the school certification?
The official at the degree-granting institution you will attend in the fall. On the IU Bloomington campus, that is Patrick D. Smith.

When should I turn in my application?
ASAP- first come, first served. The granting organization (SSACI) wants the applications to be fully processed before the student begins coursework. That takes about 3 weeks, unless there are complications.

All applications for both Summer 1 and Summer 2 are due in Eigenmann , before May 31, 2008.

What should I do if I get a bill and I still don’t know if my scholarship application has been approved?
Call Tene Jones at the State Office at (317) 234-1394, or Patrick D. Smith (812) 856-1591, or the GEAR UP Coordinator at your summer school campus.

The Office of Student Financial Assistance is offering me a loan to cover my summer bills, should I take it?
Be very careful. If you take out a loan and then the scholarship comes through, IU may not be able to pay off your loan with the scholarship for you. If you receive a refund from the bursar and you have loans, you might be wise to pay off the loans with the refund. Please call Amanda Vanderploeg (812-856-1910) to check on your GEAR UP summer scholarship application status. Before you sign any promissory notes, please check with Bill Ehrich in the Office of Student Financial Assistance.

What if I end up taking a different class from the one I listed on the application?
Notify the state GEAR UP office at (317) 234-1394 and IUB 21st Century Scholars office (812) 856-1591 about your summer schedule changes.

What happens if I fail a Summer school course paid by GEAR UP?

The scholar will be responsible for paying for Summer school bill.

What do I do if SSACI denies my application for the scholarship?
You have two choices: you can either pay for the course(s) yourself, or drop the course(s). You may be able to apply for other forms of financial aid through the Office of Student Financial Assistance.