A+ Scholarship Program

The A+ Scholarship Program provides merit-based scholarship funds to eligible graduates of Missouri A+ designated high schools.

Eligibility requirements for high school students, initial postsecondary students, and renewal students are determined by the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development (MODHEWD).

A+ Scholarship Checklist

To use your A+ Scholarship at Jefferson College, you must:

1. Complete an application for admission;
2. Be seeking a certificate or degree at Jefferson College;
3. Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) with Jefferson College’s school code (002468) and submit any requested verification documents;
4. Submit your official final high school transcript stamped with the official A+ Seal to the Admissions Office;
5. If transferring from another postsecondary institution, submit official college transcript(s) and complete the A+ Request for Reinstatement;
6. Register and attend full-time, defined as:
       - 12 or more credit hours, fall and spring semesters
       - 6 or more credit hours, if you choose to enroll in the summer semester

A+ Coverage

The A+ Scholarship covers tuition and general fees, up to a maximum rate of $215.00 per credit hour for 2024-2025.  Our new Tiered Tuition Model includes all applicable fees in the Tuition rate.

A+ does not cover textbook rental fees, book purchases, program specific fees, course supplies, uniforms, or other miscellaneous expenses such as parking and graduation fees.

Course Exclusions

The A+ Scholarship does not cover:

• Repeat coursework in which a grade was received. Repeated courses will, however, count towards meeting the full-time credit hour requirement if they count towards your declared degree.
• Courses that do not count towards the completion of your declared degree.
• Courses in excess of 105% of your declared degree.
• Courses taken as a visiting student not seeking a degree from Jefferson College, with the exception of the initial summer semester immediately following high school graduation.

A+ and Federal Grant Aid

All available non-loan federal assistance, such as the Pell Grant, must be applied to tuition and fees first before A+ can be used toward any remaining balance. This may result in a zero award if federal aid is sufficient to cover all tuition and fees.

Full-Time Enrollment Exceptions

Exceptions to the full-time rule apply if one of the conditions below apply:

• You have a documented disability and a Reduced Course Load Accommodation on file with the Accessibility Resource Office (ARO) and are enrolled in minimum of 6 credit hours in the fall and spring semesters and 3 hours in the summer semester.
• You plan to graduate at the end of the semester and have applied for graduation with the Registrar’s Office.
• You are enrolled in all available credit hours for your course of study as documented by your academic advisor.

Maintaining A+ Eligibility

A+ eligibility is reviewed at the end of each semester. To remain eligible, students must meet the following requirements:

1. Submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) annually with Jefferson College’s school code (002468) and submit any requested verification documents;
2. Complete 12 credit hours or more in the fall and spring semesters and 6 credit hours or more if enrolled in the summer semester. If approved for a reduced course load, you must complete all courses in which you are enrolled;
3. Maintain a 2.5 cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) and meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards. Students in the first academic year of receiving A+ must achieve at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA by the end of the fall term and 2.5 cumulative GPA by the end of the spring term.

A+ Eligibility Timeframe

A+ eligibility expires when the earliest of the following occurs:

• 48 months after the graduation date documented on your high school transcript. Students providing service to any branch of the U.S. armed forces may defer eligibility.
• Receipt of an associate degree
• Completion of 105% of the hours required for the program in which you are currently enrolled

Attendance and Participation Requirements

You must begin attendance and actively participate in all courses in order for them to be included in your financial aid enrollment. If you are reported as a no-show in a course at any point in the semester that results in less than full-time enrollment, A+ funding for the semester will be lost.   

Withdrawing from Courses

If you withdraw from a course after the refund period, you will be responsible for repaying the cost of the course, as long as you complete 12 semester credit hours (6 in summer) and continue eligibility to the next term.

If you complete fewer than 12 semester hours (6 in summer), A+ will cover the cost of the withdrawn courses; however, you will be ineligible for A+ until the dropped hours are completed. 

Reinstatement of A+ Eligibility

You may request to have your A+ Scholarship reinstated if you are meeting all A+ eligibility requirements and fall under one of the following categories:

• You transferred from another institution.
• You utilized federal grant funds instead of A+ in a previous term.
• You failed to meet the completion requirement and have now successfully completed the REMAINING number of credit hours required for the term in which you lost eligibility. 
• You earned a GPA below the minimum requirement, but you now have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.
• You are now making satisfactory academic progress (SAP).

To be considered for A+ reinstatement, submit an A+ Request for Reinstatement.