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student funding opportunities
- Alternative Loans
- An alternative loan is an educational loan through a lender with no ties to the federal government or Valdosta State University that allows students to borrow additional funds after federal student loans have been exhausted.
- Contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information.
- Graduate Assistantships
- VSU’s graduate assistantships are designed to promote the research, teaching, and service responsibilities of the University and to provide students with valuable professional development opportunities while earning a graduate degree.Therefore, the graduate assistantship involves the dual responsibilities of maintaining a satisfactory academic performance and of successfully performing the assigned teaching, research, or other responsibilities.
- Apply online through the Graduate School website.
- Grants
- Several academic grants are available to students to assist them in their pursuit of a higher education. Some of these grants include the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal Academic Competition Grant, Federal SMART Grant, and the Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) Program.
- Contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information.
- Federal Work Study Program
- Federal Work-Study (FWS) eligibility is based on established financial need. Jobs are located on and off campus and work schedules can be planned around your class schedule.
- Contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information.
- HOPE
- Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally (HOPE) programs are funded by the Georgia Lottery for Education.HOPE scholarships are available to eligible Georgia 1993 or later high school graduates. HOPE covers matriculation, a portion of the mandatory fees and a book allowance ($150 for 6 hours or more; $75 for 5 hours or less). There is no minimum enrollment for the HOPE Scholarship. Students may receive HOPE for as little as one semester hour of enrollment.
- Contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information.
- Federal Loans
- The Federal Stafford Loan allows students enrolled at least half time to borrow money at low interest for educational expenses. There are two types of Federal Stafford Loans: 1) Federal Subsidized Stafford Loans, and 2) Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loans.
- Contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information.
- Scholarships
- By completing the General Scholarship Application you will be considered for scholarships administered by VSU; however, there are several other opportunities to explore. Hometown churches, clubs, professional organizations, and civic groups sometimes offer scholarships. Contact the Scholarship Coordinator in the Office of Financial Aid for more information.
- Contact the department of your major for information on department or program-specific scholarships.
- The Office of Equal Opportunity Programs and Multicultural Affairs has compiled a list of 200 scholarships available to minority students.
- Short-Term Loans
- A short-term loan is a fixed amount of money that Valdosta State University allows you to borrow for a specific amount of time. These loans are short-term, meaning they last only for the duration of a school semester. When the school semester ends, you are expected to have re-paid the loaned money in FULL by making payments as indicated on the repayment installment agreement.
- Contact the Office of Student Financial Services for more information.
- Student Activities Funding
- Registered student organizations may apply annually for student activity fee funding.
- Contact the Office of Student Life for more information.
- Student Employment
- To be eligible for on campus employment, students must: 1) attend Valdosta State University, 2) enroll for six credit hours or more, and 3) make progress towards completing VSU degree requirements.
- Contact the Office of Student Employment for more information.
- Study Abroad Scholarships
- The Langdale College of Business Administration offers two scholarships: the First State Study Abroad Business Scholarship and the Steele Study Abroad Scholarships.
- Contact the Center for International Programs to inquire about other study abroad scholarships.
- TEACH Grant Information
- Effective July 1, 2008, the College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA) established the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program, which provides up to $4,000 a year in grant assistance to students who plan on becoming teachers and teachers who are obtaining graduate degrees.