Nevada College Scholarships and Free Gift Aid

Nevada has recently implemented a variety of programs that are aimed to increase the number of the state’s residents who can afford to attend college.

Being a rural location, Nevada’s programs have been invaluable for improving the cost of education and allowing more students to pursue the career of their dreams.

Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship Program

The Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship was put in place specifically to help achieve higher entrance rates of estudents into the college and university system.

Over the last decade of the scholarship’s use, the program has proven successful at encouraging students to persevere. The awards, up to a maximum of $10,000 over 6 years, are awarded based on a number of important criteria:

Eligible students must commit early in their high school careers to complete a set of core college preparatory courses.
Students must maintain a solid GPA, at graduation it must be 3.25.
Students must enroll full-time at one of the participating colleges or universities in the state.

Millennium Scholarships are awarded on a per-credit basis and according to the type of education program.

Nevada's Pre-Paid Tuition Program

One of the most popular and self-sustaining state programs is the Nevada Pre-Paid Tuition program.

The Pre-Paid Tuition Program invites Nevada residents to pay for college on the basis of selling contracts that offer a unique deal: when you buy a Pre-Paid Tuition contract you are automatically “locked into” the current cost of tuition in the college system.

The system helps students avoid the often-rising costs of education in the future, and it gives the educational system more money with which to expand as well.

After choosing your college, 4-year university, or other accredited institutions, you simply choose one of various payment plan options, or pay everything in a lump sum.

This option is extremely useful if you’re planning ahead for your education, or especially if you have the help of family to buffer tuition costs and pay more upfront, in order to save money later.

This option is also an especially good choice for students who will take longer than 4 years to complete their education. If you’re working full time while completing a degree on the side, the extended duration of your education will allow tuition costs to rise even more than they would otherwise.

Nevada Grant-in-Aid Program

At the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need in combination with academic motivation may qualify for the Nevada Grant-in-Aid program.

Annual dollar pay outs are up to $1,000 and renewable if you maintain a 2.0 GPA.

Nevada's Opportunities for Professionals

Designed with graduate students in mind, Nevada's Professional Student Exchange Program is Nevada’s effort to boost support for healthcare systems in the state.

Anyone who is a graduate student in Veterinary Science, Pharmacy, or Optometry is guaranteed a 75% tuition coverage if they agree to work for a pre-determined number of years in Nevada healthcare facility after graduation.

Similar grants are also available for nursing students, physician’s assistants, and physical therapists.

There are also loan repayment programs available for dentists and mental health professionals.

All-told, these programs cover a wider variety of healthcare and social service professionals than many other states, and they’re definitely something that Nevada citizens should take advantage of as they find better ways to afford a higher education.