Gov. Nixon announces increased scholarship amounts for students

COLUMBIA — Gov. Jay Nixon announced Thursday that the Missouri Department of Higher Education will increase scholarship amounts for students this academic year, according to a news release.

The news release stated that the new scholarship amounts will affect Missouri students under the Access Missouri program. These amounts include:

• An increase from $275 up to a maximum of $470 for qualifying students at public community colleges.
• An increase from $950 to a maximum of $1,010 for qualifying students at four-year public institutions.
• An increase from $1,900 to a maximum of $2,160 for qualifying students at private institutions.

According to the news release, these amounts reflect the maximum award a student would receive for both semesters of the 2010-11 school year. The fall 2011 scholarship amounts will be determined after the budget for the next fiscal year has been decided.

The Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority might fund the Access Missouri scholarships, according to a previous Missourian article.

Under the Access Missouri program, 46,000 Missouri students would receive scholarships for the spring 2011 semester, the release stated.  This year, the state is expected to invest about $58.7 million in Access Missouri.

“I am pleased my administration will be able to increase Access Missouri awards for this school year to help more students afford to earn their degree,” Nixon said in the release.

The release stated that Nixon has worked to make higher education a priority, which will be beneficial for many Missouri families. He said he plans to continue to prioritize funding for Missouri’s A+ Scholarship Program, in which the government covers the cost of tuition and other fees for students attending public community colleges for two years. These students must meet certain academic, service and conduct requirements, the release stated.

In addition, Nixon placed a two-year freeze on tuition at all Missouri public colleges and universities, the release stated.

“By giving more students access to higher education, we’re ensuring that Missouri has a workforce to compete for generations to come,” Nixon stated in the release.