With tuition costs sky rocketing, paying for college can be difficult for first-time students.
For Wyoming state residents, paying for school or college is possible using available state grants. These scholarships and aid options can be used to cover tuition, books and fee costs. In some cases, the extra money can be used to also pay for the price of room and board or transportation.
Students who are interested in finding ways to pay for college should first submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (or FAFSA) form.
Submitting this form is the first step in registering to receive federal and state grant money, should you be eligible to receive it.
It also calculates a student “Expected Family Contribution” (EFC), a number which factors heavily into the amount of grant money that will be awarded, should you qualify.
This EFC number can be used by other grant and scholarship programs to calculate the student’s financial need and figure out the amount that ought to be awarded.
With that said, here are the specific Wyoming Grants and Scholarships…
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Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Scholarships
Run by the Rocky Mountain Coal Mining institute, this scholarship program gives money to students who are in their junior or senior year of college. Students must send in an application and express an interest in industries related to mining. Money awarded by the program is intended to cover the cost of tuition.
Students who are state residents of Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Montana or Utah are eligible for the award. Their current degree program must be in geology, engineering, environmental studies or metallurgy. Successful applicants will receive award money for the following year of school.
Hathaway Scholarships
The state of Wyoming created this award program in the name of former Governor Stan Hathaway. Students who apply for the program must show strong academic potential and exhibit signs of financial need.
Money given out by the program is intended for students studying at the University of Wyoming or a community college within the state.
To be eligible, students must turn in an application prior to the start of the semester.
Each community college has its own form, but university students are automatically entered for the scholarship at the time of their admittance to the University of Wyoming.
To receive more information about the scholarship, students should check out http://www.k12.wy.us/Hathaway.asp
MGMA Western Section Scholarship
Created by a coalition of Western states, this scholarship money comes in the form of reduced tuition costs.
Students who attend one of the schools in the coalition only have to pay an additional 50 percent more than the cost of in-state tuition. This program was set up by the states of Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Wyoming, Oregon, Colorado, California, Idaho, Utah and Washington.
Eligible students must continue to make satisfactory academic progress and be enrolled in a qualifying undergraduate or graduate degree program.
Don Estey Professional Development Scholarship
Started by the ASTA Rocky Mountain Chapter, this program awards money to students attending the ASTA or the Travel institute Educational Program. Students must be United States residents and have at least two years of travel industry experience.
At least one member of their travel office should be a current member of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the ASTA. Once the student attends the program, they may be reimbursed for the registration or travel costs.
Each application for reimbursement must be made no more than one year following the application deadline. Students must also submit an essay detailing their interest in the travel industry and experience with the program.
JSU Alabama McGee Scholarship
This scholarship is intended for any out-of-state student going to school within the state of Alabama. Applicants must have at least a 1260 on their SAT or a 28 on their ACT to receive the scholarship.
For successful applicants, the award equals a total of $2,000 and is renewable each year.
Heidelberg College Grant
This grant is another one intended for students who are residents of states other than Ohio.
The renewable scholarship is awarded contingent on a student’s academic history and progress in their studies.
To receive more information about the award or apply, students should visit http://www.heidelberg.edu/financialaid/futurestudent/scholarships.
Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention
This scholarship is available in the states of Wyoming, Colorado, Washington, Idaho, South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota and Montana.
Applicants should have at least a GPA of 2.5 and be planning on attending college after their high school graduation.
In addition, applicants must be current high school seniors.
To apply, students need to submit an essay about someone they know who has a substance abuse problem.
The student should write in detail about how they believe the issue should be and was dealt with. Essays are judged according to normal high school essay standards. Whatever essay is judged as the best will be published in the ALERT Magazine.
More information about the program is available at http://www.alertmagazine.org.
Students who are interested in Wyoming state grants should check with their university or college.
Many schools offer their own scholarship programs for incoming students.
In addition, students who exhibit financial need can always apply to receive the federal Pell Grant as well as the The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) to help offset the cost of college tuition.
Students who are attending college in-state can normally receive a significant portion of their college costs from a combination of federal, state and private grant programs.
Online resources:
Hathaway Scholarship Program
http://www.k12.wy.us/Hathaway.asp
Alert Magazine
Heidelberg College Grant Program
http://www.heidelberg.edu/financialaid/futurestudent/scholarships
