Within the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE), the Legislature actively funds 13 scholarship programs centrally located and overseen by the Utah Board of Higher Education (UBHE) and the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education. Each of these programs was created statutorily, and are budgeted under the USBE Student Assistance line item.
Each of these different categories of scholarship programs has a different number of awards with unique funding levels. All of the funding is ongoing, with the exception of the “Profession Specific” bucket, which is comprised of 65% one-time funds. The largest single scholarship is the ‘Opportunity Scholarship’ which is Merit Based. At $18 million annually, the Opportunity Scholarship is more than three times the size of the second largest scholarship, the ‘Utah Promise Program’ ($5.6 million annually).
The table below lists each of the scholarship programs along with the number of recipients in the 2023-2024 school year (FY 2024) and the average amount awarded. (Mobile users may view this table better in landscape orientation.)
Program | Number of Awards (2023-2024) | Average Award ($) |
Adult Learners Grant Program | 683 | 1,464 |
Student Financial Aid | * | * |
Utah Promise Program | 3,126 | 1,791 |
Veterans Tuition Gap Program | 23 | 5,435 |
Opportunity Scholarship | 4,310 | 4,176 |
Prime Pilot Program Amendments | * | * |
First Responder Mental Health | 8 | 56,250 |
Karen Mayne Public Safety Officer Scholarship Program | 9 | ** |
Public Safety Officer Career Advancement Grant | 18 | 8,056 |
T.H. Bell Education Scholarship Program | 615 | 3,252 |
CTE Scholarships | 739 | 1,488 |
Talent Development Grant Program | 683 | 2,196 |
Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education | 31 | 26,968 |
Statewide Total | 10,245 | $42.0 million |
*Awarded to institutions, not individuals | ||
**One-time funding |
A description of each scholarship program including budget and code reference is included below:
General, Needs-Based Scholarships (Four Programs)
- The Adult Learners Grant Program is a $1 million ongoing program that provides financial assistance to students who are at least 26 years old and are pursuing an online degree or certificate in a field with industry need. UBHE prioritizes students from rural areas, minority students, low-income students, and first-generation students. The governing statute for the Adult Learners Grant Program is UCA 53B-13c.
- The Student Financial Aid Program is a $3.25 million ongoing program that fulfills the State’s required match of 2 federal financial aid programs: the Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) and the Federal Work-Study Program (FWS). FSEOG is a purely needs-based program, and FWS is supplemental funding for students who work part-time for the institution or community service. The governing statute for the Student Financial Aid Program is UCA 53B-18-204.
- The Utah Promise Program is a $5.6 million ongoing program that targets needs-based undergraduate students in Utah and is available for up to four years. Students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and demonstrate financial need to qualify. The governing statute for the Utah Promise Program is UA 53B-13a.
- The Veterans Tuition Gap Program is a $125,000 ongoing program designed to help veterans complete a bachelor’s degree after all other forms of aid to veterans have been exhausted. The governing statute is UCA 53B-13a.
General, Merit-Based Scholarships (Two Programs)
- The Opportunity Scholarship is an $18 million ongoing program available to all Utah High School Students. Students must complete certain advanced courses while in high school and graduate with a certain grade point average to qualify. The Legislature created this program as a combination of the old Regents Scholarship and New Century Scholarship when the technical education and higher education system were combined in 2021. The governing statute is UCA 53B-8-201.
- The Prime Program is a $3 million ongoing program that awards scholarships to students who completed at least five concurrent enrollment courses and at least six career and technical education courses from a technical college while still in high school. The governing statute is UCA 53E-10-309.
Profession-Specific Scholarships (Four Programs)
- The First Responder Mental Health Program is a $450,000 ongoing program that provides grants to first responders to enable them to seek additional degrees and certifications in mental health therapy. The governing statute is UCA 53B-8-117.
- The Karen Mayne Public Safety Officer Scholarship Program is a $5 million one-time program that provides scholarships to recent high school graduates who want to pursue a career in public safety. Recipients of this scholarship may not receive the Public Safety Officer Career Advancement Grant. The governing statute is UCA 53B-8-112.5.
- The Public Safety Officer Career Advancement Grant is a $145,000 ongoing grant program that provides grants to public safety officers who are seeking a degree in a criminal justice related field. Recipients of this grant may not receive the Karen Mayne Public Safety Officer Scholarship. The governing statute is UCA 53B-8-112.
- The T.H. Bell Education Scholarship Program is a $2 million program that provides scholarships to those interested in pursuing a career in education or speech pathology in the State of Utah. Recipients must commit to teaching in Utah after graduation. The governing statute is UCA 53B-8-116.
High-Demand Program Scholarships (Three Programs)
- The Career and Technical Education (CTE) Scholarship Program is a $1.1 million ongoing program to help students pursue certification at one of the State’s technical colleges. Awards target high demand fields as determined by the Department of Workforce Service, and these dollars are the primary form of financial assistance for the State’s CTE students. The governing statute is UCA 53B-8-115.
- The Talent Development Grant Program is a $1.5 million ongoing program that provides scholarships to those seeking a certificate or degree in a high-demand field as determined by the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity. The governing statute is UCA 53B-10-2.
- The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) is an $836,000 ongoing program that pays dues to WICHE and provides scholarships for students participating in WICHE. WICHE allows students in western states to travel to different states to pursue post-graduate education in a field that is not taught in the student’s home state. The student pays a reduced tuition rate compared to other out-of-state students as part of this agreement. The governing statute is UCA 53B-4.
This interim, the Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee has included statewide scholarships in their Accountable Budget Process. Next Tuesday, the committee will consider how best to implement performance measures for each scholarship to ensure that state funds are making an impact for their intended demographic.
Stay tuned for next week when we recap the outcomes of the Accountable Budget Process for each appropriations subcommittee.