Income-eligible 7th- and 8th-graders who enroll in the program and fulfill a pledge of good citizenship to the state are guaranteed the cost of four years of college tuition at any participating public college or university in Indiana. Note: At universities that charge tuition by the credit hour, as does USI, the Twenty-First Century Scholars award is limited to a maximum of 15 semester hours in the fall and 15 semester hours in the spring. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is required each year and recipients must maintain satisfactory academic progress. The FAFSA must be received by the federal processor by April 15 to be considered on time and the edit correction deadline has been eliminated.
Students who receive state financial aid for the first time during the 2013-2014 academic year or thereafter will be required to meet certain completion requirements to renew state financial aid awards in subsequent years. For more information about credit completion requirements visit Indiana's student financial aid Website.
Students who are eligible for the Twenty-First Century Scholars award from the State of Indiana are also eligible for a $200 per year textbook award from the University of Southern Indiana beginning in the second year of attendance. These awards are renewable and may be received for a total of three years as long as student eligibility for the Twenty-First Century Scholars program continues and the student is continuously enrolled at USI. (Note: This award is only available to first time, full-time, incoming freshmen.)
