The Idaho Promise Category B Scholarship is a new state program designed to encourage Idaho students to do well in school, graduate, and continue their education beyond secondary school at an Idaho college or university by providing a scholarship to students who meet the eligibility criteria.
The Idaho Promise Category A Scholarship was previously known as the State of Idaho Scholarship. The Idaho Promise Category A Scholarship Program provides approximately 30 new scholarships each year. 75% of these scholarships are awarded to academic scholars, and the other 25% are awarded to professional-technical students. The award is $3,000 a year, renewable for up to 4 years for academic programs and for the term of the professional-technical program, up to 3 years. The Promise A scholarship requires the student to submit an on-line application at www.boardofed.idaho.gov (Deadline January 15).
The Promise Category B scholarship is provided for all students who are Idaho residents, graduate from an accredited Idaho high school, have an unweighted high school GPA of 3.0 or higher or score 20 or higher on the ACT exam. This scholarship is usually in the amount of $250/semester and is renewable up to a maximum of 4 semesters. Students are identified through the application process to participating Idaho institutions. This scholarship does not require a state application, yet if you go to an institution that provides matching funds (Currently, The College of Southern Idaho or Idaho State University, and Northwest Nazarene University) you may need to complete a scholarship from the institution to receive the matching funds.
Students who receive the Idaho Promise Category A Scholarship are not eligible to receive the Category B Scholarship.
The Idaho state legislature and Governor Dirk Kempthorne authorized the new program during the 2000 legislative session through Title 33, Chapter 43 of the Idaho Code. State funding for the Idaho Promise Category B scholarship was appropriated during the 2001 legislative session to fund an inaugural class of eligible students entering college for the first time in the 2001 – 2002 or subsequent academic years.
The scholarship is available to eligible students who attend Albertson College of Idaho, Boise State University, the College of Southern Idaho, Eastern Idaho Technical College, Idaho State University, Lewis Clark State College, North Idaho College, Northwest Nazarene University, BYU-Idaho, or the University of Idaho.
The Idaho statute that authorizes the scholarship program encourages but does not require the eligible institutions to provide matching funds to Promise Category B Scholarship recipients. Idaho State University, the College of Southern Idaho and Northwest Nazarene University provide some matching funds to recipients.
Those residents who graduated from an Idaho high school or its equivalent and who are entering college for the first time in the 2001-2002 or subsequent academic years are eligible to receive the scholarship if they have earned a cumulative high school grade point average of at least 3.0 or an ACT score of 20 or better, are under the age of 22 on July 1, 2002, and attend an eligible Idaho college or university full-time.
Full-time is defined as 12 semester credits. A student must enroll in and complete at least 12 semester credits to be eligible for the scholarship.
The participating Idaho college or university that you plan to attend will verify your eligibility to receive the scholarship at the time of application to that institution based on your high school transcript or ACT score, and your date of birth. Upon verification of your eligibility, the college or university will notify you that you have been awarded the Promise Category B Scholarship.
If you have applied to and are notified by more than one institution that you are eligible for the Category B Promise Scholarship, you must contact the school(s) that you will not attend to decline all other offers of the Scholarship.
There is no set application deadline. An institution will verify a student’s eligibility through the academic year. If you have not been notified and believe that you are eligible for the scholarship, you may wish to contact the scholarship office of the college or university that you plan to attend.
The amount of the scholarship is dependent upon the annual legislative appropriation and the number of eligible students. The State Board of Education has set the amount of the scholarship at $250 per semester for the 2003-04 academic year, provided that the total cost of awarding the scholarship to all eligible first-time students does not exceed the appropriation.
No, the scholarship is only available to those students who are attending an eligible college or university as a degree seeking student for the first time in the 2001-2002 or subsequent academic years.
Students who are seeking a degree for the first time in the 2001-02 or subsequent academic year, even if they have earned college credits while still in secondary school, are eligible to receive the scholarship provided they meet the established criteria and enroll for and complete at least 12 semester credits.
No, The scholarship may only be used by eligible students who enroll in Idaho institutions first.
The college or university will disburse the scholarship to each recipient during the fall and spring academic terms, either directly to the student, or as a credit applied toward a student’s account. If you do not receive the funds, it is your responsibility to contact the financial aid or scholarship office at your institution to find out why.
Students are eligible to receive the scholarship for two years (four semesters), within a period of four (4) years, provided that the student enrolls for and completes at least 12 credits each semester and maintains a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or better.
Students who fail to complete at least 12 semester credits with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5 will not be eligible to receive the scholarship in subsequent academic years.
Yes, students will still be eligible to receive the scholarship upon re-entry into an eligible college or university after taking time off from school, provided they have earned at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA while enrolled full-time and the period of time between the first annual grant and the second annual grant does not exceed four (4) years. If during this time off, you attend school at an out-of-state institution, you will not be eligible for the Promise B scholarship upon your return.
Recipients will still be eligible to receive the scholarship upon transfer to another eligible Idaho college or university provided that they have completed at least 12 semester credits with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better. However, students who transfer to another eligible college or university between the fall and spring semesters should expect a delay in the awarding and receipt of the scholarship, resulting from the amount of time that is necessary for the institutions to verify a student’s continued eligibility. The student is responsible for working with the financial aid or scholarship office to make sure you receive the funds.
Students who discontinue their attendance during the academic term may be required to repay a proportionate amount of the scholarship to the institution. The academic term in which a student discontinues attendance will be counted towards the established maximum number of academic terms that a student is eligible to receive the Category B Scholarship.
A student who is awarded the scholarship but does not attend school and withdraws from the college or university within the timeframe established in the institution's Refund Policy is required to repay the entire amount of the scholarship, or the amount of the scholarship will be deducted from any refund due to the student. However, that semester will not be counted toward the maximum number of academic terms that a student is eligible to receive the scholarship.