Iowa Tuition Grants at $5,650 for New Academic Year

Important financial aid for students at Iowa's private colleges DES MOINES, IA (July 18, 2017) - Iowa families looking for ways to help pay for their students' college costs will want to learn about a key financial aid program, the Iowa Tuition Grant (ITG). The ITG maximum grant is $5,650 for the upcoming academic year. First funded by the Iowa Legislature in 1970, the ITG was initiated as a cost-effective way to help Iowa students with financial need find the higher education experience best suited to their needs and talents. Iowa students can use the grant at any of Iowa's private, non-profit colleges and universities. Last year, more than 11,000 Iowa students received the grant. To qualify, a student must be an Iowa resident, must attend an Iowa private, non-profit college or university and must have financial need as demonstrated by federal Department of Education standards. The grant is provided directly to the student, not the institution, and must be matched by the institution. In fact, Iowa private, non-profit colleges and universities collectively provide more than $500 million in institutional financial aid each year.   "I think the Iowa Tuition Grant is a tremendous bargain for the State of Iowa," said Gary Steinke, President of the Iowa Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (IAICU). "The ITG represents only about 1% of all state funding for education, but it provides access to college for thousands of Iowa students at great institutions that generate hundreds of millions in other financial aid, and it costs the state absolutely nothing for infrastructure like classrooms, dormitories and laboratories." High school students are encouraged to find out more about the ITG program during Iowa Private College Week, July 31 to August 4. IAICU member colleges and universities synchronize campus tour schedules across the entire state during that week. To register for visits or for more information, go to IowaPrivateCollegeWeek.org More information about the Iowa Tuition Grant program can also be found at the website of the Iowa College Student Aid Commission -30- IAICU Member Institutions Allen College, Waterloo Briar Cliff University, Sioux City Buena Vista University, Storm Lake Central College, Pella Clarke University, Dubuque Coe College, Cedar Rapids Cornell College, Mt. Vernon Dordt College, Sioux Center Drake University, Des Moines Graceland University, Lamoni Grand View University, Des Moines Grinnell College, Grinnell Iowa Wesleyan University, Mt. Pleasant Loras College, Dubuque Luther College, Decorah Mercy College of Health Sciences, Des Moines Morningside College, Sioux City Mount Mercy University, Cedar Rapids Northwestern College, Orange City St. Ambrose University, Davenport St. Luke's College, Sioux City Simpson College, Indianola University of Dubuque, Dubuque Wartburg College, Waverly William Penn University, Oskaloosa