Grants and Scholarships in Delaware

Local governments on the state level are well aware of the fact that it's good to have a healthy dose of well-educated residents at hand. Not only does a well-attended college look good and entice future students, it also helps boost the local economy by providing jobs and a flux of outside money coming in to the region. Along such lines Delaware offers incentives to both graduating high school seniors and graduate students to help encourage them to stay local for further education – just one more reason to call "The First State" home. And some opportunities are so extensive that you may well end up attending college for free. Have a look...

SEED Scholarship Program at Delaware Technical and Community College (DTCC)

This SEED Scholarship (Student Excellence Equals Degree) will cover 100% of tuition costs at DTCC campuses in Dover, Georgetown, Stanton, and Wilmington.

In order to be eligible for this program and maintain eligibility a student must:

Be enrolled to attend classes at DTCC no later than the fall semester directly following that student’s high school graduation
Be enrolled full time each semester
Be a legal resident of Delaware
Have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 out of 4.0 or better, a grade percent average of 80% of 100%, or letter grade of C+ or greater
If homeschooled, have equivalent grades as outlined above or score a combined total of 1350 on the SAT or 19 on the ACT
Not have been convicted of a felony
Maintain satisfactory academic progress at Delaware Tech
Note that if applicant has a Pell Grant that covers full tuition then he/she will not be eligible for the SEED Scholarship. If the Pell does not cover tuition in its entirety then the applicant may receive SEED money to cover the remainder.

To apply:

Fill out a FAFSA by April 1st of year the student plans to enroll.
Submit a SEED Scholarship Application and college application to DTCC by April 15th.
Take college placement exams or have SAT or ACT scores provided to Delaware Tech.
Schedule an acceptance interview to go over the placement exams with a counselor.
Have high school transcripts sent to the Delaware Tech Financial Aid office by June 30th.

If awarded, this scholarship will cover tuition costs for two years as long as the student maintains eligibility. The student will still be responsible for purchasing books and paying any student related fees including lab fees.

SEED Scholarship Program at University of Delaware (UD)

This scholarship will cover 100% of tuition costs at UD for students seeking a two year liberal arts degree that will lead to a 4 year baccalaureate degree.

The eligibility requirements for this program are the same as the SEED Scholarship program at DTCC with the following differences:

The student must be enrolled in an Associate of Arts program at UD no later than the fall semester directly following that student’s high school graduation.
In order to remain eligible for the entire two year period, a student must maintain a 2.5 GPA average in the Associate in Arts Program.

To apply:

Apply to UD no later than the January 15th directly before high school graduation
File a FAFSA (use UD school code: 001431) by February 1st, or if not eligible for FAFSA, a UD Financial Aid Form.
If accepted, mail a $300 deposit to UD by May 1st to notify the school of your intent to enroll (this deposit goes into your student account to pay for books and any other fees not covered by the seed scholarship).

If awarded, this scholarship will cover all tuition costs for two years as long as the student maintains eligibility. The student will still be responsible for purchasing books and paying any student related fees including lab fees.

Scholarship Incentive Program (ScIP)

This program awards money to both undergraduate and graduate students on the basis of financial need and academic merit.

In order to be eligible, a student must:

Be a legal resident of Delaware
Be a US citizen or eligible non-citizen as defined by the state of Delaware
Demonstrate financial need by filling out a FAFSA
Have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 out of 4.0 or better
Either be enrolled full-time in an undergraduate degree program at a nonprofit, regionally accredited school either Delaware or Pennsylvania
Or be enrolled full-time at a nonprofit, regionally accredited college in an undergraduate or graduate degree program that is not offered at the University of Delaware, Delaware State University or Delaware Technical & Community College. Please contact these schools for more information regarding eligible programs

To apply submit at FAFSA by April 15th of the year you plan to enroll. Delaware residents will automatically be considered for this program.

The amount awarded ranges from $700-$2200 and is dependent upon a student’s cumulative GPA.

Additional Programs

Delaware also offers the Inspire Scholarship to encourage students to call Delaware State University their new school. To be eligible the applicant must possess a 2.75 GPA, be a legal resident of Delaware, and have no prior felony charges. The student must also serve 10 hours of community service each semester. As with all other Delaware programs you must first fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) first to see if you are eligible for other funding sources. Receiving other financial aid won't necessarily keep you from getting the Inspire Scholarship but it may affect how much you receive.

Teachers Needed
Delaware is one of many states that offers financial incentives for students to become teachers in critical need areas. In addition to scholarships and grant monies that can cover up to three credits per semester new teachers may also even be eligible for loan forgiveness! And unlike other state programs being a Delaware resident is not actually one of the requirements. To learn more about opportunities for future educators pursuing jobs in critical need areas/studies check out the State of Delaware's official website.

Don't forget to look into the prospect of loan forgiveness once you graduate. Requirements vary depending on where you attend but in Delaware, the recipients must teach full-time for five consecutive years in specific low-income elementary and secondary schools. To learn more look here.

As you can see, Delaware is working to get good students to continue their education. Yet as with most State funded programs the number of scholarships being offered largely depends on legislation and the local coffers at any given time. So your best bet is to keep an eye on the Delaware Higher Education Office website for updates.