State grants for high-demand fields
States sometimes set aside grant money for the careers they most need to fill, and this article describes how those awards work. It covers the fields involved, the extra conditions they often carry and where to read the terms.
Why a state funds a field
When a state faces a shortage of nurses, teachers, electricians or other workers, its legislature may fund grants tied to training in that field. The list of fields changes as the state's needs change, and the agency posts the current list each year.
Some of these grants cover degree programs at four-year colleges. Others support certificates and short programs at community and technical colleges, sometimes with part-time study allowed.
The conditions that come with the money
Field-based grants usually require enrollment in an approved program of study. Switching to a different major can end the award, so ask the aid office before you change programs.
Some awards ask you to work in the state, or in a particular part of the state, for a set period after you finish. The agency's written agreement explains the service period and what happens if it is not completed. Read that agreement fully before you sign it and keep a copy.
The agency's written agreement explains the service period and what happens if it is not completed.
Finding the awards in your state
The state higher education agency lists its field-based grants with the rest of its programs. State departments of health, education and labor sometimes run their own awards for the same careers, and the college department for your program often knows about them.
Teacher preparation and nursing programs commonly hand students a list of state awards during orientation. If yours does not, ask the program director which ones its students have used.
How these grants fit with other aid
A field-based state grant usually sits on your aid offer beside the Pell Grant and any campus award. Some states pay it only after other grants are counted, and others add it on top. The aid office can show you how the pieces combine and whether the total stays within the cost of attendance.
Many of these programs have limited funds and their own application dates. Apply as soon as the agency opens the award, and file the FAFSA early as well, since the state often reads it to rank applicants.
Steps to take this week
- Find your state's current list of high-demand fields
- Ask your program director about state awards for the field
- Read any service agreement before signing it
- Check how a change of major affects the award
Who decides
Your state's higher education agency
A state grant tied to a career field can carry work or service conditions, so read the agreement before you accept.
