Grants

Indiana State Grants

To apply for Indiana grants and scholarships, and for federal aid programs, students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and submit it before March 10 each year.

IPFW Award Notifications, both on-line and on paper, contain information about your eligibility for the need-based Frank O'Bannon Grant, which includes the Indiana Higher Education Award.

Eligibility is based on data you disclosed on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the approved and typical tuition and fees at IPFW, and the type of high school diploma you earned. There are some general eligibility requirements for all full-time state grants and scholarships:

• You must show financial need according to program rules.
• Your FAFSA must be received by the federal processor by March 10 and be error-free by May 15th each and every year.
• You (and your parent(s), if you are a dependent student,) must be legal residents of Indiana and remain so during the academic year; and
• You must be an undergraduate working on an associate or first bachelor degree.
• You must maintain satisfactory academic progress.
• You cannot be in default or overpayment.
• The grant amounts are annual amounts and may be used only during fall and spring terms of the academic year and not summer school.

Additional notes to be made regarding SSACI Awards include:

• The grant amounts listed on the letter from SSACI are based on 30 hours of enrollment per academic year, or 15 hours per semester.
• SSACI prorates these awards down depending on the amount of credit hours being taken.
• IPFW will award all students based on the 12 credit hour amount initially. After the 4th week of classes, if a student is enrolled in 13, 14, or 15 credit hours, a manual adjustment of the award will be made.
• If you are enrolled in 13 or 14 credit hours, you will not be eligible for the full amount of the award – it will be prorated.
• SSACI sends IPFW a roster once a week on Friday
• We must review this roster manually to post these awards
• Changes will usually appear around week 6 or 7 of the semester.
• And finally: These are awards given to you from the State of Indiana – not IPFW; we are at the State’s mercy regarding these awards – SSACI has the final say concerning these awards.

Additional requirements for eligibility may apply:

Higher Education Award (Frank O'Bannon Grant)

• Is a need-based award that does not require repayment.
• Must be enrolled at least 12 credit hours or more during the first 4 weeks of classes. 
• Can be used: Fall and/or Spring semester. Not available for Summer classes.
• Funds are offered to Indiana families based on parents ability to contribute to the students education. Funds are intended to assist with tuition and fee payment.

• You must file the FAFSA by March 10th and complete any needed corrections by May 10th every year. 

21st Century Scholars

• Must be enrolled at least 12 credit hours or more during the first 4 weeks of classes.  Can be used: Fall and/or Spring semester. Not available in Summer, except as the Gear Up Program
• Created to ensure that all Indiana families could afford a college education for their children and guarantee eligible students up to four years of undergraduate college tuition at any participating public college or university in Indiana.
• You must file the FAFSA by March 10th and complete any needed corrections by May 10th every year.

21st Century Scholars Gear Up Scholarship

• Can be used only by 21st Century Scholars who are high school students going to college for the first time or freshmen finishing their first year in college.
• It is a non-renewable scholarship that can be used for the summer sessions before the fall of first enrollment or the summer sessions after the student's first year of college.
• You must file the FAFSA by March 10th and complete any needed corrections by May 10th every year.

Part Time Grant

• Can be used: Fall and/or Spring semester. Not available for Summer.
• Undergraduates enrolled less than full time may receive these awards at the mid point of the semester from credits.
• Selection is based on critical financial need. These are need-based awards that do not require repayment.
• Not all eligible students will receive the Part Time Grant due to limited funding.

• You must file the FAFSA by March 10th and complete any needed corrections by May 10th every year.

Indiana National Guard Supplemental Grant

• Can be used: Fall and/or Spring semester. Not available for Summer classes.
• Pays for tuition and fees.
• Applicant must meet the eligibility requirements of both the Indiana National Guard (ING)and the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana(SSACI).
• You must file file the FAFSA by March 10th each year.

Child of a Disabled Veteran/Public Safety Officer (CVO)

• Can be used: Fall, Spring and Summer.
• Pays tuition and fees at public colleges for eligible children of disabled Indiana veterans, eligible children and spouses of certain members of the Indiana National Guard killed while serving on state active duty, and eligible children and spouses of certain Indiana public safety officers killed in the line of duty.
• CVO will pay the regular in-state on-campus rate for tuition. Additional fees for distance or on-line classes are not covered by CVO and students will need to use other financial aid to pay the difference, or pay out of pocket.
• Graduate students only receive the equivalent of undergraduate course fees. All graduate students will owe a portion of their tuition and fees every semester
• Eligibility is limited to 124 credit hours.
• You must file the FAFSA each year.    
• Students must complete a certification with the state of Indiana. Once the approved certification is received by the student, a CVO application(or Summer application, if using in Summer) must be completed with the IPFW Financial Aid Office.

Federal Grants

The federal government offers several grants to students.  All require financial need as determined by the information on your FAFSA. Federal grants are available for use in Fall, Spring and Summer.

Pell Grant

Pell is awarded to students with the most critical financial need as determined by analysis of FAFSA data.


Awards are prorated for the number of credit hours that the student is enrolled in.


To receive the maximum Pell grant, students must be enrolled full time (minimum 12 credit hours).


Please read IPFW's Pell Grant Policy for more information.

Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

Awards are offered to only the neediest undergraduates enrolled at least half time (6 credit hours).


Not all eligible students will receive SEOG due to limited funding.