November 26, 1997 - Alliss grants help adults get back to school Up to five credits and required course books free

If you have been out of high school for seven years, or have not attended college for seven years, you can get a boost in returning to school. The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system has a grant program that pays for one community college course, up to five credits, and the required textbooks for the course.

The Alliss Educational Opportunity Grant is designed to help adult learners begin college or return to college. The grant is not based on family income or demonstrated need, but prospective students must be Minnesota residents and out of school for at least seven years. The grant is available to all community college students who qualify.

The Alliss grant provides payment of tuition for one course and also covers the costs of course texts. The selected course must be part of an Associate of Arts (A.A.) or Associate of Science (A.S.) degree program. Certificate and diplomas programs are ineligible, as are training programs customized for business and industry.

Grant recipients may be first-time community college enrollees who graduated from high school at least seven years ago, or former college students who haven't been in college for seven years. Recipients must not hold baccalaureate or higher degrees. Students already receiving financial aid or subsidized credit are excluded from the program.

Grants are available to start school any term. If a student withdraws from a class under the Alliss grant program, that person cannot receive a grant again.

After selecting a community college, the applicant completes a certification form as well as the application form required by the college for admission. These forms should be mailed or dropped off at the college admissions office, along with the required application fees. Applicants may also apply and register in person during open enrollment.

The Alliss Grant certification form is available to download from the MnSCU web site.

MnSCU is the largest single provider of higher education in the state of Minnesota and includes community colleges, technical colleges, comprehensive community and technical colleges and state universities. The system serves approximately 145,000 students in the fall quarter and a total non-duplicated headcount for a full academic year of about 230,000 students. MnSCU has 53 campuses around the state and a campus in Akita, Japan.