Financial Aid Division

Workforce Improvement Grant

Date Updated: January 1, 2010

General Information

The Workforce Improvement Grant is a need based grant for non-traditional students, those at least 24 years old. The program's goal is to help those students returning to school who have financial need but might not be eligible for assistance from traditional state and federal programs. Grants received under this program are, or may be, Leverageing Education Assistance Partnership Grants funded by the Federal Government and the State of Arkansas.

ADHE distributes Workforce Improvement Grant funds to participating institutions based on the number of non-traditional students enrolled at each institution as a percentage of the total number of non-traditional students enrolled at participating institutions. The institutions then make awards to students based on procedures established by the institution in accordance with Workforce Improvement Grant rules and regulations.

The application deadline is determined by each institution for its students. Students apply for the Workforce Improvement Grant by completing the Free Application for Student Financial Aid (FAFSA)

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible, a student must have unmet need after consideration of any Pell Grant awarded and must meet the general eligibility requirements for federal financial aid programs. The annual award is a maximum of $2000 for a student enrolled full time (12 semester hours), but may be less in order to prevent an over award as defined by federal regulations. Students enrolled part time will have their grants prorated based on the number of hours enrolled. Because the grants are not renewable, students must apply each year.

WIG awards may be paid in part or in whole with funds provided by the state of Arkansas, the Federal Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) program, or the Federal Special Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (SLEAP) program.

Application Deadlines

Each institution sets their own application deadline.

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