A+ Information

Are there four-year institutions that honor A+ financial incentives?
No. A+ funds may only be used at a public community college and/or at career-technical schools located in Missouri.

There are several four-year institutions that are offering "A+ scholarships." Are they the same as the A+ financial incentive?
No.

General Questions

What evidence is provided by an A+ high school to a community college or career-technical school to indicate a student is eligible to receive A+ financial incentives?
The A+ high school will indicate successful completion of the A+ program with a stamp seal to be used on eligible student’s transcripts.

What must a student do to remain A+ eligible at a community college or career-technical school?
A student must be enrolled full-time in a program of study and maintain a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA. Students must also apply for non-repayable federal financial aid (FAFSA/SEOG) each subsequent year of eligibility.

If a student has met all of the requirements to receive a post-secondary degree but does not apply for graduation, is he/she still eligible to receive A+ financial incentives to pursue another degree?
No. A student who has met the requirements for a post-secondary degree using A+ financial incentives shall be notified that his/her eligibility has been exhausted.

If a student's four year eligibility has expired and he/she has not completed 105% of the hours required for the program in which you are currently enrolled, is the student still eligible to receive A+ financial incentives?
No. A+ financial incentives must be used within 48 months of high school graduation.

Is there or is there going to be an extension of the benefit period for students who are called to Active Duty immediately after high school?
Students providing service to any branch of the U.S. armed forces can defer their eligibility beyond the 48 months if they return to full-time status within 12 months of the end of their military service. 

Fulltime enrollment requirement

Do A+ eligible students have to be enrolled full-time in a post-secondary program of study to receive A+ financial incentives?
Yes.

If a student who is enrolled in a program of study that requires an internship or clinical experience, that prohibits full-time enrollment as defined by the institution, still eligible to receive A+ financial incentives?
A student enrolled in a program of study that requires, as part of the program, the successful completion of an internship or clinical experience remains eligible for A+ incentive funds for this portion of the program.

Do developmental courses taken at a community college during the student's first year of enrollment count toward meeting the full-time enrollment requirement?
It is the responsibility of the community college in which the student enrolls to determine whether or not the student's program equates to a full-time load as prescribed.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

If a student has a GPA of 2.5 for the fall semester but a cumulative GPA of 2.27, would this student be eligible to receive A+ financial incentives?
No, the cumulative GPA is used to determine A+ eligibility. The student would not be eligible until the overall GPA is 2.5 or higher. 

Non-Repayable Federal Financial Assistance & Scholarships

May a student receive scholarships without jeopardizing his/her A+ financial incentive?
Yes, if the [local] scholarship has restrictions those must be honored (i.e., tuition only). If there are not restrictions on local scholarships, those funds may be used for non-A+ eligible expenses such as books, tuition surcharges, and other fees. 

Is a student required to annually submit a federal financial aid application before A+ incentive funds are available to the student for tuition and general fees?
Yes.

If a student elects to attend a four-year institution after high school graduation and then transfers back to a community college or a career-technical school, is the student still eligible to receive A+ financial incentive funds?
Yes. A student transferring from a four-year institution into a two-year institution must transfer with a 2.5 GPA and enroll on a full-time basis in a program of study.

May a student enrolled at a four-year institution or community college take courses and use A+ financial incentives at another community college during the summer term for the purpose of accelerating the degree program at the four-year institution or community college?
No.

May a student simultaneously attend two eligible post-Secondary institutions and receive A+ financial incentives?
Yes, however, both institutions must be A+ eligible. The institution granting the certificate or degree would claim the student for reimbursement purposes.

What is a program of study?
A program of study is a certificate or degree plan that is offered by the college or career-technical school.

May an A+ eligible student who enrolls in a one-year LPN program transfer into an RN program?
Yes. Coursework that is part of a higher level certificate or degree taken after receipt of a certificate will be reimbursed if it is related to the original certificate. 

Are students with disabilities eligible for A+ incentive funds?
Yes, provided they meet the requirements of the A+ program.

What expenses are covered by the A+ program for eligible students attending a public community college or career-technical school?
The scholarship will reimburse the unpaid balance of tuition and general fees after all available, non-loan federal financial assistance, such as the federal Pell grant, has been applied to an account. This may result in a zero award if the Pell grant is sufficient to cover all tuition and general fee charges. The amount reimbursed may be reduced if there are insufficient state appropriations. General fees are fees that are charged to all students and do not include fees specific to an individual program or group of students.

• Reimbursement will be made for completed coursework, including remedial coursework, for which a standard grade was assigned and that is required by the institution for the completion of the degree or certificate.
• The amount of reimbursement paid for coursework for which a standard grade was not assigned (dropped coursework – after the 100% refund period)including coursework in a withdrawn status, will be deducted from subsequent reimbursement requests.
• Repeat coursework will not be reimbursed.

May a student who is repeating a class, receive A+ benefits for that course?

No, if a student repeats a course for any reason, the repeated course will not be paid by A+ benefits but will be considered toward credit hour requirements.

Must Title IV federal non-repayable aid (PELL/SEOG) be applied to tuition and fees before other expenses?
Yes. Under current rules PELL must be applied to A+ eligible costs (tuition and fees) before A+ is billed.

May a student switch majors and utilize A+ financial incentives?
Yes, as long as the student enrolls full-time within 48 months of graduation from high school, has not completed a degree or certificate; has not exceeded one hundred and five (105) percent of the hours required for the program of study; whichever occurs first. 

What are the procedures for reimbursing out-of-state tuition if the student resides outside of Missouri but is A+ eligible and attends a Missouri community college?

A+ students must be graduates of an eligible Missouri A+ designated high school. A+ will reimburse only at in-state tuition rates. If the eligible A+ student moves out of Missouri but attends a Missouri public community college or a career technical school, any difference in tuition will be the responsibility of the student. 

If a student only needs 11 hours to complete his/her degree, will A+ pay for any additional hours that the student might elect to take during that term?

No, A+ will pay for only the credit hours required for the degree. Any hours that exceed those required to complete the degree will be taken at the student’s expense.

What is the maximum number of hours a student can take in a semester?
There is no maximum number of hours a student may elect to take in a semester.