List of OSAC Programs
Click on any of the programs to learn more about it.
OREGON OPPORTUNITY GRANT - for financially needy undergraduate residents of Oregon
Formerly the State Need Grant, the Oregon Opportunity Grant is available for up to 12 terms or 8 semesters.
Established in 1971 by Oregon Legislature to assist needy students attending community colleges, OUS institutions, and private independent 4-year institutions in Oregon.
Eligibility based on financial need, determined by family income and household size:
- For dependent students, 55% of Oregon median family income (MFI)
- For independent students, 50% MFI, and 30% MFI for singles.
Other Criteria
- Be a citizen or eligible noncitizen of the United States
- Be a resident of Oregon
- Be an undergraduate student with no prior baccalaureate degrees)
- Be enrolled full-time in an eligible degree-granting program at a participating 2- or 4-year Oregon postsecondary institution (exceptions for disabled students)
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress
- Have no defaults or owe refunds on any federal Title IV loan
- Meet federal Selective Service registration and illegal drug conviction requirements
- Not be incarcerated
- Not be enrolled in a program leading to a degree in theology, divinity, or religious education
To learn more about the Oregon Opportunity Grant program click here
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OSAC Scholarship Services - more than 320 scholarship programs
Partnership of private funds and public administration that is unique in the U.S.
- Administers or helps administer more than 320 privately funded scholarships.
- Regular contact with all Oregon high schools.
- Well-established relationships with financial aid administrators and business offices in all Oregon postsecondary institutions and in many throughout the nation.
- Support from ASPIRE to help students with college planning and financial aid
- Federal need analysis data for all Oregon residents received and processed at no cost
- Streamlined, single combined form (paper and online) to apply for up to 20 programs
Services vary by program requirements, provided at a minimal cost to sponsors so that maximum funds are available for students:
- Endowed funds - administered by OSAC, investment portfolios managed by Treasury.
- Annual Programs - OSAC publicizes awards, processes applications, selects recipients, and makes disbursements from funds provided by the sponsor
- Partner Programs -OSAC provides technical assistance in ranking applicants according to financial need and academic potential; partner manages funds, disbursements, and selection of recipients.
- The Ford Family Foundation of Roseburg, Oregon, founded by Kenneth & Hallie Ford - a suite of five scholarship programs to reflect the Foundation's mission "to help individuals through organized learning opportunities to be contributing and successful citizens."
- The Oregon Community Foundation -established in 1973, currently administers 900 charitable funds totaling more than $380 million. OCF and OSAC are partners in administering 150 scholarships for the benefit of Oregon students.
Number of scholarships increasing steadily
- More 320 programs in 2004-05
- For 2003-05 biennium: 65 new programs added totaling more than $20 million
- For 2005-07 biennium: anticipate scholarships totaling $22.5 million
To learn more about the Scholarships Services programs click here
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ASPIRE Program (Access to Student assistance Programs In Reach of Everyone)
Proactive strategy to encourage students who do not see education beyond high school as an option and might otherwise not seek out the resources available to them.
Joint creation of The Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) and the Oregon Student Assistance Commission (OSAC) through the Partners for Scholars program.
Offers high schools tools needed to recruit, train, and implement a volunteer advisor program.
Extends reach of high school counseling departments at a low cost and without overburdening staff
- Helps students value and access education and training beyond high school
- Provides mentoring and resources about college and financial aid for students
- Provides resources and consultation for building a sustainable community-based program of volunteer mentors
- Increases the number of Oregon students seeking and receiving scholarships and other financial assistance
Oregon high schools apply and compete to participate in the ASPIRE program.
- Schools in the program receive training and technical assistance from Division staff on how to recruit and train a corps of community volunteers to work with students.
- Volunteer ASPIRE Advisors provide guidance to students about preparing for postsecondary training, choosing a school, and applying for financial aid.
To learn more about the ASPIRE program visit the ASPIRE wesite at www.aspireoregon.org
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Barber & Hairdressers Grant
Awards are made in cooperation with participating, accredited Oregon cosmetology institutions.
One-time award of $600.
Applicants must qualify under ALL of the following criteria:
- Resident of Oregon and U.S. citizen
- Attend a licensed school of barbering, hair design, cosmetology or manicure in Oregon
- Be enrolled full-time in a program that is at least nine (9) months or 900 clock hours long
- Demonstrate significant financial need (e.g., eligible for Federal Pell Grant)
Application Process:
- Complete FAFSA
- School selects recipients
- Distribution based on number of Pell Grant awardees at each institution
To learn more about the Barber & Hairdressers Grant program click here
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Employer Tax Credit Program
(Scholarship Program Tax Credit) ORS 348.616 to 348.621
Tax credit for businesses with at least 4 but no more than 250 full-time equivalent employees that establish an employee and dependent scholarship program with OSAC
OSAC approves scholarship program and tax credit, based on employer’s application.
Application must be filed at least 3 months prior to close of first tax year for which tax credit to be claimed.
OSAC must certify or reject application within 60 days of receipt and notify employer of determination.
Program certification valid until the employer changes the terms of scholarship program eligibility, changes the minimum or maximum amount of scholarship, or ceases to be an employer.
Application for tax credit certification must be filed no later than October 1 of the calendar year for which a credit will be claimed.
Applications considered in chronological order received
Applications approved until total amount of tax credits certified by the commission for the calendar year exceeds $1 million.
Written certification to be retained by employer for at least five years and furnished to the Department of Revenue if requested.
To learn more about the Employer Tax Credit Program click here
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Federal Chafee Educational and Training Grant
Assists foster youth with the transition to self-sufficiency by providing funding for the education, training, and services necessary to obtain employment.
Partnership Established in 2003 between OSAC and the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) Independent Living Program to administer the federal Chafee Education and Training Grant Program for the benefit of Oregon’s foster youth.
Program authorized by the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999.
To learn more about the Federal Chafee Educational and Training Grant program click here
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Federal Robert C. Byrd Honors Program Scholarship
Federally funded program that provides awards to academically superior graduating high school seniors.
- Graduating high school seniors must meet the following criteria:
- GPA of 3.85+ or GED score of 3300+
- ACT composite of 29+ or SAT combined scores of 1300+
- Awards renewable for up to 4 years
- Up to 75 awards of $1500 each year — 15 for each Congressional district.
OSAC has assisted the Oregon State Department of Education in evaluating applicants and disbursing awards for the Robert C. Byrd Scholarship Program since the program began in 1986.
Congress eliminated administrative expenditures in July 1993.
Funding sources:
- OSAC receives federal funds to disburse to students through contract with the State Department of Education
- Awards are contingent on continued federal funding.
Students Served:
- For 2005-07, projected $941,522.
- Provides funds for 75 new awards each year of the biennium in addition to renewal awards for continuing awardees.
To learn more about the Federal Robert C. Byrd Honors Program Scholarship click here
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Oregon Student Child Care Grant
The Student Child Care Grant provides limited funding to financially needy students who are parents of children ages 12 and under. Priority will be given to applicants who are were recipients of the grant while it was administered at the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS), or who were on the DHS waiting list.
To learn more about the Oregon Student Child Care Grant click here
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Oregon JOBS Plus Program (JOBS Plus)
Started as pilot in 1993, now statewide.
Offered by the Oregon Employment Department to recently laid off, work-experienced individuals. Part of Oregon’s welfare reform effort.
Participating employers are reimbursed wages up to $5 per hour for the first 13-weeks of the participant’s employment. When the participant works beyond the first 30-days, the employer begins contributing $1 dollar per hour into an Individual Education Account (IEA) that the participant or an immediate family member may later activate with OSAC and use the funds to pay for additional classes or training to improve job skills.
Eligible participants qualify through the JOBS Plus Program to receive funding for future educational expenses through Individual Education Accounts (IEA).
Citizens Served:
- For 2005-07, anticipate 750 participants will have IEAs established. (Numbers are lower than anticipated due primarily to the cessation of Adult and Family Services participation as of April 2002)
Funding sources:
- Employer contributions to participant’s IEA.
- IEAs generate $12,750 in new funds per month, averaging $400 per participant.
- OSAC holds funds for up to five years for the participant or immediate family members.
- Expired vouchers designated to Oregon Opportunity Grant fund. In 2003, HB 4128 required $674,765 in IEA funds to be transferred to the General Fund by January 2005.
Administrative rule change authorized use of IEA funds for books and supplies directly related to the class or training.
Two-thirds of funds redeemed are used at community colleges and 4-year universities in Oregon, remaining third used for short-term programs.
To learn more about the Oregon JOBS Plus Program click here
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Oregon National Guard State Tuition Program
Partnership between OSAC and the Oregon Military Department to administer funds to qualifying Oregon National Guardsmen and women.
Created by the 1999 Oregon Legislature
Conditions of Award:
- New recruits and reenlistments into the Army and Air National Guard
- Originally students received up to 90% of the tuition costs of the university or community college of their choice upon enlistment. Currently, federal tuition assistance covers 100% of tuition costs.
- Currently the funding is comprised of 75% federal and 15% state monies. The Oregon Military Department determines who is eligible to participate; the Oregon Student Assistance Commission disburses the funds to the colleges. Fifty-two solders participated in 2003-04, receiving a total of $26,936 in state monies and over $100,000 in federal monies.
Proposed:
- For 2005-07: Oregon Military Department to open up program to families of Guard Members.
- Pending legislative approval, new cash account will be funded and established at the Oregon State Treasury, and 80% of the interest earnings will be periodically transferred to OSAC to be used by the families of Guard members.
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Oregon Nursing Services Program
Created by the 2001 legislature
Part of a comprehensive state effort to enhance nursing services in critical shortage areas, designed to increase the numbers of registered nurses working in critical nursing shortage areas (geographic locations and practice specialties) throughout frontier and rural Oregon.
Modeled after Rural Health Service Loan Repayment Program.
Payments equal to the amount of the educational loans borrowed by participating registered nurses if they agree to practice in designated critical nursing shortage areas and certain practice specialties in the more than 25 rural and frontier counties in Oregon.
Annual payments
- For participating RNs who practice in qualifying areas for at least two years and up to 4 years, a designated amount of their qualifying federal loans are repaid.
- Award amounts prorated for nurses who practice less than full-time.
- The current annual award limit per individual is approximately $9,317 (adjusted annually on July 1, based on the current Consumer Price Index).
Citizens served (through July 2004)
- For 2005-07: project 16 new awards and honor commitments to 24 existing recipients.
To learn more about the Oregon Nursing Services Program click here
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Oregon Rural Health Services Loan Repayment Program
Created by the 1989 Legislature.
Part of a comprehensive state effort to enhance medical services in rural areas and encourage family practice physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants to practice in designated rural areas in Oregon with unmet health care needs.
Payments equal to the amount of the educational loans borrowed by participating physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants who practice in qualifying rural health care shortage areas.
Annual payments
- Annual payments up to $25,000.00, if warranted by the qualifying student loans debt
- Maximum total benefit from this program is $100,000 per practitioner.
- For physicians who practice for at least three years and up to five years, annual payments equal to 20% of total educational loans for each year of qualifying service.
- For nurse practitioners and physician assistants who practice for at least two years and up to four years, annual payments equal to 25% of total educational loans for each year of qualifying service.
Citizens served (through July 2004)
- 20 health professionals - 8 physicians, 6 nurse practitioners, 6 physician assistants.
- Since inception, a total of 32 participants have fulfilled their service obligation.
Payments to physicians:
- For 2003-05: Payments totaled $358,295
- For 2005-07: Future payment obligations total $318,410
- New awards to be determined and added in December 2005 and December 2006.
To learn more about the Oregon Rural Health Services Loan Repayment Program click here
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Oregon Youth Conservation Corps (OYCC)
Created in 1987 by Oregon Legislative Assembly
Provides education, training, and employment opportunities to disadvantages and at-risk youth from 16 to 25 years of age.
Recipients must participate in OYCC Community Corps program. Community Service Corp directors identify scholarship recipients.
Be enrolled at least half-time at an eligible institution
Awards used for educational expenses, including tuition and fees, room and board, books, transportation, and educationally related personal costs.
To learn more about the Oregon Youth Conservation Corps program click here
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Scholarship Program for Former Foster Youth (now unfunded)
Created by the 2001 Legislative Assembly
Serves individuals who spent at least one year in foster care between the ages of 16 and 21 and who enroll in college not later than 3 years from the date they leave foster care or graduate from high school.
Annual Awards
- Equal to tuition and fees at Oregon public colleges
- Undergraduate work only.
- Renewable for up to 4 years.
Funding Sources: one-time General Fund appropriation of $100,000 allocated during the 2001-2003 biennium. OSAC and DHS partnered to identify and award 19 youth initially.
Students Served:
- 25 students were awarded, at an average of approximately $3,800.
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The 2005 Oregon Legislative Assembly established the Oregon Troops to Teachers program, which is administered by the Oregon Student Assistance Commission (OSAC). Click on the Oregon Troops to Teachers heading above to download a PDF version of the application now available. The priority deadline is May 1, 2006. Applications received after the deadline may be considered but are subject to available funding.
The legislature provided $165,000 for the 2005-2007 biennium. The program pays the average cost of resident (in-state) tuition at an Oregon public college or university, provided the veteran:
- Is an Oregon resident indicating Oregon as the "home of record."
- Was discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States, including Reserve components and the National Guard, with anything other than a dishonorable discharge.
- Agrees to teach in an Oregon school district or public charter school classified as serving a high poverty area for not less than three years; or teaches the subject of mathematics, science, or special education for not less than four years.
To learn more about the Oregon Troops to Teachers program click here
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