Awards help needy students pay for higher education

USA Funds accepts applications for $3 million in new scholarships

INDIANAPOLIS — USA Funds^®, the nation’s leading education-loan guarantor, announces that applications now are available for a total of $3 million in new scholarships to assist college students who demonstrate financial need.

USA Funds will award renewable USA Funds Access to Education Scholarships^® to qualified students nationwide for the 2005-2006 academic year. In addition to the new scholarships, USA Funds will award renewal scholarships to qualified recipients.

The program offers $1,500 scholarships to qualified full-time undergraduate, graduate and professional students and $750 scholarships to qualified half-time undergraduates. Applicants for the scholarships must be enrolled or plan to enroll in coursework at an accredited two- or four-year college, university or vocational/technical school beginning with the fall 2005 term through Feb. 1, 2006.

"By offering these scholarships, we hope to reduce the financial barriers that prevent many lower-income students from pursuing higher education," said Carl C. Dalstrom, USA Funds president and CEO. "USA Funds is working to close the gap between college-going rates of lower-income students and their classmates from higher-income families."

The application deadline is March 15, 2005. For complete eligibility information and to apply online or download a scholarship application, visit USA Funds’ Web site.