Awards help low-to-moderate-income students pay for higher education

USA Funds accepts applications for $3.2 million in scholarships

USA Funds^®, the nation’s leading education-loan guarantor, announces that it is accepting applications online for a total of $3.2 million in scholarships to assist college students from low-to-moderate-income households.

USA Funds will award more than 2,100 USA Funds Access to Education Scholarships^® to qualified students nationwide for the 2008-2009 academic year.

The program offers $1,500 scholarships to qualified full-time or half-time undergraduates and to full-time graduate and professional students. Applicants for the scholarships must be enrolled or plan to enroll in coursework at accredited two- or four-year colleges, universities or vocational/technical schools beginning with the fall-2008 term through Feb. 1, 2009. Due to funding reductions imposed by federal legislation, USA Funds offers these scholarships as one-time awards. If subsequent financial conditions permit, USA Funds will provide renewal awards and will notify scholarship recipients how to apply for renewal awards.

The program assists students from households with annual incomes of $35,000 or less.“In keeping with our nonprofit mission to enhance postsecondary-education preparedness, access and success, these scholarships are designed to help increase the college-going rates of low- to-moderate-income students,” said Carl C. Dalstrom, USA Funds president and CEO. “Federal studies show that these students attend college at significantly lower rates than do their higher-income classmates.”

The application deadline is Feb. 15, 2008.

For complete eligibility information and to apply online, students should visit USA Funds’ Web site. A Spanish-language version of the scholarship information and online application is available.

Scholarships awarded under this program to residents of Alaska, California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington state are made possible with the support of College Spark Washington.