While many adult students rely on students loans to finance their degrees, scholarship money is available for students 25 years and older. The Adult and Commuter Services website at http://www.memphis.edu/acss/ discusses two such scholarships.

The University of Memphis Adult Scholarship is a highly competitive, renewable merit scholarship of $5,500 annually for full-time students or $3,000 annually for part-time students.

The following are selection criteria for the University of Memphis Adult Scholarship:

• In-state and out-of-state undergraduate students are eligible.
• Must be pursuing first undergraduate degree to be eligible.
• Students must reach their 25th birthday by August 1st of application year.
• Current students must have a 3.0 cumulative G.P.A. and new students must meet Adult Admission requirements to be considered for selection.
• Part-time students must complete a minimum of 6 hours and full-time students must complete a minimum of 12 hours per semester.
• Preference given to students who do not already have a scholarship.

In addition to the above requirements, applicants must also submit a typed essay (500 words or less) detailing “Why I need or deserve an adult scholarship.”

The Hope Lottery Scholarship has a Nontraditional Student Component too.

The non-traditional student must be a Tennessee resident, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and be enrolled at an eligible postsecondary institution. In addition, the student must:

• Be age 25 or older, as an entering freshman in an eligible postsecondary institution OR have not been enrolled for at least two (2) years after last attending any postsecondary institution and is now enrolled at an eligible postsecondary institution
• Must have parents’ or independent student’s and spouse’s adjusted gross income of $36,000 or less on IRS tax form
• Be continuously enrolled at an eligible postsecondary institution in the fall and spring semesters and maintain satisfactory academic progress
• Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 after 12 attempted semester hours or required GPA at subsequent benchmark

To continue receiving the HOPE Scholarship, the non-traditional student shall meet the HOPE Scholarship Renewal Criteria mentioned above.

Consider these resources as plan to finance your degree.  You might also want to talk to your Graduate Memphis advisor about other resources available to adult students.