Missouri's needy college students got the good news Wednesday that the maximum award amount of the state's Access Missouri scholarship has increased.
Students at two-year colleges are now eligible for up to $850 a year, a 30 percent increase over last year's $660 total.
Students at four-year schools can now get up to $1,850, a 23 percent increase over the previous $1,500 amount.
Gov. Jay Nixon made the announcement Wednesday while touring North Central Missouri College.
“As many other states struggle with deficits and gridlock, here in Missouri our commitment to our students and our higher education institutions continues to move our economy forward,†Nixon said in a statement.
Access Missouri is a needs-based scholarship program with built-in performance guidelines. Money is awarded to students based on their financial situation. Students with the greatest need get a greater share of the money. Students must maintain a 2.5 grade-point average to continue getting the award.
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The total amount of money available to students can shift from year to year depending on the state's budget outlook.
In releasing additional Access Missouri funding for the upcoming school year, Nixon said thousands of students should benefit.
“College affordability has been a top priority of my administration, and over the past six years Missouri has led the nation in holding down tuition increases at public universities,†he said.
