All states have established their own higher educational assistance programs that can supplement federal aid programs. The aid programs themselves are quite varied. To simplify things, we have provided you with a complete and up-to-date phone list of state agencies that you can contact for information on eligibility requirements.
When you call your state educational assistance office, ask for the following:
- Financial aid handbook (or something similar) that gives details on state loans, grants, and other aid programs, plus the criteria used to determine your eligibility
- A breakdown of the different state programs, so you can begin thinking about which programs may be of interest to you
- Copies of all the application forms that you will need to apply for state aid pro-grams (be greedy; if you have all the forms now, you won’t have to seek them out later)
- Suggestions as to how you can speed up the application process
- Application deadlines
Overview and Requirements
Many state aid programs are available to both those in need of money for all their expenses and those who need only partial assistance.
For instance, if you are in the top 10 percent of your graduating class, having maintained a high degree of academic achievement, you may be eligible for state scholarship programs regardless of your financial need. Along the same lines, states today are providing more and more aid to people who intend to go into teaching, nursing, or social services within their own state. Every state has its own programs, and every program has its own eligibility requirements. Information you receive from the state educational aid office, coupled with advice from your school’s financial aid office and/or guidance counselor should put you on the road to success.
TIP…One of the things that may determine your eligibility for state aid and the amount of tuition you pay is whether you are a resident of the state in which you are studying. Becoming a resident in a particular state usually entails residing and working in the state anywhere from six to twelve consecutive months or more. These requirements differ in every state, so contact the financial aid or registrar’s office for more information.
We have compiled a list of scholarships offered through each state’s higher education agency. This list includes the amount, deadline, and requirements, and represents only a fraction of the scholarships and grants that are available to state residents and students who are pursuing a degree at a state or private institution. Refer to Perpetual Press’s Financial Aid Book for a detailed list of these and thousands of other scholarship possibilities through both the private and public sectors. Even students who are not residents of the state in which they are studying may be eligible for some of these financial awards. The application process differs in every state. To be considered for these scholarships, students may be required to complete either the FAFSA, Federal Aid Profile, or an individual application for state aid. Review the list of scholarships and loans provided in Chapter 11 and contact your state agency for more information.
TIP…Strapped for cash? Try selling some of your unneeded wares. Second-hand stores that buy, sell, and trade are popping up everywhere. You can sell anything from CDs and clothes, to furniture and books.
As a handy guide to the different state agencies, we’ve included the following phone and address directory for quick reference. Again, be sure to consult the expanded listings in Chapter 11 if you want specific information relating to individual state programs.
State Agency Listings
ALABAMA
Alabama Commission on Higher Education
P.O. Box 302000
Montgomery, AL 36130-2000
(334) 242-1998
ALASKA
Alaska Commission on Post-Secondary Education
Alaska Student Loan Program
3030 Vintage Blvd.
Juneau, AK 99801-7109
(907) 465-2962
ARIZONA
Arizona Commission for Post-Secondary Education
2020 N Central Avenue, Suite 275
Phoenix, AZ 85004-4503
(602) 258-2435
ARKANSAS
Arkansas Student Loan Authority
3801 Woodland Heights Road, Suite 200
Little Rock, AR 72212
(800) 443-6030 / (501) 682-2952
CALIFORNIA
California Student Aid Commission
P.O. Box 419026
Rancho Cordova, CA 95741
(888) 224-7268
COLORADO
Colorado Department of Higher Education
1560 Broadway, Suite 1600
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 862-3001
CONNECTICUT
Connecticut Student Loan Foundation
Attn: CHEFA
10 Columbus Boulevard
Hartford, CT 06106
(860) 337-6884
DELAWARE
Delaware Higher Education Office
Delaware Department of Education
401 Federal Street, Suite 2
Dover, DE 19901
(302) 735-4120
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Office of Postsecondary Education
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202
(202) 453-6914
Office of Higher Education Financial Services
810 1st Street NE, Ninth Floor
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 727-6436
FLORIDA
Office of Student Financial Assistance
(888) 827-2004
Florida Department of Education
Turlington Building, Suite 1514
325 West Gaines Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399
(850) 245-0505
GEORGIA
Georgia Student Finance Commission
2082 E Exchange Place
Tucker, GA 30084-5305
(800) 505-4732
HAWAII
State Higher Education Loan (SHEL)
University of Hawaii
General Accounting & Loan Collection Office
1404 Lower Campus Road, Building 171-H Room 38
Honolulu, HI 96822
(808) 932-7449
IDAHO
Office of State Board of Education
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0037
(208) 334-2270
ILLINOIS
Illinois Student Assistance Commission
1755 Lake Cook Road
Deerfield, IL 60015
(800) 899-4722
INDIANA
State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana
101 West Ohio Street, Suite 300
Indianapolis, IN 46204-4206
(888) 528-4719
IOWA
Iowa College Aid Commission
430 East Grand Ave, FL 3
Des Moines, IA 50309
(515) 725-3400
KANSAS
Kansas Board of Regents
1000 SW Jackson Street, Suite 520
Topeka, KS 66612
(785) 296-3517 or (785) 296-3518
KENTUCKY
Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority
(800) 928-8926
LOUISIANA
Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance
P.O. Box 91202
Baton Rouge, LA 70821
(800) 259-5626
MAINE
Maine Education Assistance Division
P.O. Box 949
Augusta, ME 04332-0949
(207) 287-2183
MARYLAND
Maryland Higher Education Commission
State Scholarship Administration
16 Francis Street
Annapolis, MD 21401-1781
(410) 974-5370
MASSACHUSETTS
American Student Assistance
330 Stuart Street
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 426-9434
MICHIGAN
Michigan Guarantee Agency Student Loan Program
PO Box 30047
Lansing, MI 48909-7547
(517) 373-0760
MHEAA
Michigan Office of Scholarships and Grants
P.O. Box 30462
Lansing, MI 48909-7962
(517) 373-3394
MINNESOTA
Minnesota Higher Education Service Office
Capitol Square, Suite 400
550 Cedar Street
St. Paul, MN 55101-2292
(612) 296-3974
MISSISSIPPI
Mississippi Guarantee Student Loan Agency
3825 Ridgewood Road
Jackson, MS 39211-6453
(601) 982-6663
Office of State Student Financial Aid
3825 Ridgewood Road
Jackson, MS 39211-6453
(601) 982-6577
MISSOURI
Coordinating Board for Higher Education
3515 Amazonas Drive
Jefferson City, MO 65109-6453
(573) 751-2361
MONTANA
Montana Guaranteed Student Loan Program
P.O. Box 1689
Helena, MT 59624
(406) 444-6594
NEBRASKA
Coordinating Commission for Post-Secondary Education
P.O. Box 95005
Lincoln, NE 68509-5005
(402) 471-2847
NEVADA
University of Nevada – Reno
Office of Student Financial Services
Mail Stop 076
Reno, NV 89557
(702) 784-4666
NEW HAMPSHIRE
New Hampshire Higher Education Assistance Foundation
PO Box 877
Concord, NH 03302
(603) 225-6612
(800) 525-2577
Post-Secondary Education Commission
2 Industrial Park Drive
Concord, NH 03301-8512
(603) 271-2555
NEW JERSEY
New Jersey Office of Student Assistance
4 Quakerbridge Plaza
P.O. Box 540
Trenton, NJ 08625
(609) 584-9618
NEW MEXICO
New Mexico Educational Assistance Foundation
3900 Osuna NE
Albuquerque, NM 87125
(505) 345-3371
NEW YORK
Higher Education Services Corporation
99 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12255
(518) 473-7087
NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority
P.O. Box 2688
Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2688
(919) 549-8614
NORTH DAKOTA
Bank of North Dakota
Student Loan Department
P.O. Box 5509
Bismarck, ND 58506-5509
(800) 472-2166
Student Financial Assistance Program
North Dakota University System
600 E Boulevard, Dept. 215
Bismarck, ND 58505-0230
(701) 328-4114
OHIO
Ohio Board of Regents
30 E Broad Street
Columbus, OH 43226-0417
(614) 466-6000
OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
State Capitol Complex 500 Education Building
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405) 524-9100
OREGON
Oregon State Scholarship Commission
1500 Valley River Drive #100
Eugene, OR 97401-2148
(541) 687-7395
PENNSYLVANIA
Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency
SLSC
P.O. Box 2461
Harrisburg, PA 17105-2461
(717) 720-2200
RHODE ISLAND
Rhode Island Higher Education Assistance Authority
560 Jefferson Boulevard
Warwick, RI 02886
in-state (401) 736-1100
out-of-state (800) 922-9855
SOUTH CAROLINA
South Carolina Student Loan Corporation
P.O. Box 211879
Columbia, SC 29221-6879
(803) 798-0916
South Carolina Tuition Grants Commission
P.O. Box 12159
Columbia, SC 29211
(803) 734-1200
SOUTH DAKOTA
Department of Education and Cultural Affairs
700 Governors Drive
Pierre, SD 57501
(605) 773-3134
TENNESSEE
Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation
Parkway Tower, Suite 1950
404 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN 37243-0820
in-state (800) 342-1663
out-of-state (800) 257-6526
TEXAS
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
7745 Chevy Chase Drive
Austin, TX 78752
(512) 483-6101
UTAH
UHEAA
P.O. Box 45202
Salt Lake City, UT 84145-0202
(801) 321-7200
Utah State Board of Regents
355 West N Temple
3 Triad Center, Suite 550
Salt Lake City, UT 84180
(801) 321-7100
VERMONT
Vermont Student Assistance Corporation
Champlain Mill
P.O. Box 2000
Winooski, VT 05404
(800) 642-3177
VIRGINIA
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia
James Monroe Building
101 N 14th Street
Richmond, VA 23219
(804) 225-2141
WASHINGTON
Higher Education Coordinating Board
917 Lakeridge Way
P.O. Box 43430
Olympia, WA 98504-3430
(360) 753-7800
WEST VIRGINIA
Central Office of the State College and University Systems of West Virginia
1018 Kanawha Boulevard E
Suite 700
Charleston, West Virginia 25301
(304) 558-2101
WISCONSIN
Wisconsin Higher Educational Aids Board
131 W Wilson, Room 902
P.O. Box 7885
Madison, WI 53707-7885
(608) 267-2206
WYOMING
United Student Aid Funds
1912 Capitol Avenue, Suite 320
Cheyenne, WY 82001
(307) 635-3259
Regional Offices
These offices can also be called upon to help students find appropriate college funding programs. Choose the regional office that matches the state you currently reside in and/or the state in which you will be attending college.
REGION I:
(Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont)
Office of Student Financial Assistance
United States Department of Education
J.W. McCormack Post Office and Courthouse Building, Room 502
Boston, MA 02109
(617) 223-9338
REGION II:
(New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Panama Canal Zone)
Office of Student Financial Assistance
United States Department of Education
75 Park Place, 12th Floor, Room 1206
New York, NY 10007
(212) 264-4022
REGION III:
(Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia)
Case Management Division NE
Wanamaker Building
100 Penn Square E
Suite 511
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 656-6442
REGION IV:
(Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee)
Secretary’s Regional Office
United States Department of Education
Suite 19T20
100 Alabama Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 562-6006
REGION V:
(Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin)
Office of Student Financial Assistance
United States Department of Education
111 N Canal, Suite 830
Chicago, IL 60606
(312) 886-8767
REGION VI:
(Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas)
Office of Student Financial Assistance
United States Department of Education
1200 Main Tower Building Room 2150
Dallas, TX 75202-4309
(214) 767-3626
REGION VII:
(Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska)
Office of Student Financial Assistance
United States Department of Education
10220 N Executive Hills Boulevard, 9th Floor
Kansas City, MO 64153
(816) 880-4053
REGION VIII:
(Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming)
Office of Student Financial Assistance
United States Department of Education
1391 N Speer Boulevard
Suite 800
Parkway Center Office Building
Denver, CO 80204
(303) 844-3676
REGION IX:
(Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, American Samoa, Guam, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, Wake Island)
Case Management Division
San Francisco Team
50 United Nations Plaza, Room 266
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 437-8293
REGION X:
(Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington)
SFAP – CMD NW
Seattle Team
1000 2nd Avenue, Suite 1200
Seattle, WA 98104-1023
(206) 287-1770