Silver State Opportunity Grant

Scholarship Sponsored by Silver State Opportunity Grant Program

Overview
The Silver State Opportunity Grant (SSOG) Program was established by the Nevada Legislature in 2015 through Senate Bill 227 (Chapter 387, Statutes of Nevada 2015). It is Nevada’s inaugural — and currently sole — state-funded financial aid initiative designed to provide need-based grants to eligible, low-income, college-ready students. SSOG helps cover part of the cost of attendance at community colleges and the state college within the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE). The program follows a shared-responsibility approach: the total cost of attendance (tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other living expenses) is viewed as a responsibility shared among the state, the federal government, the student’s family, and the student.

Why the program exists
Low-income students now make up an increasing portion of Nevada’s K–12 and higher education populations. Their progress in postsecondary education is essential to the students themselves, to NSHE institutions, and to the State’s economic health. SSOG is an aggressive first step by Nevada to boost full-time college enrollment among low-income students and to increase the number who complete a degree or credential of value.

Eligible institutions
SSOG awards are available to students attending NSHE community colleges and the state college.

Eligibility requirements
To qualify for an SSOG award, a student must meet all of the following:

- Be enrolled in a program that leads to a certificate or an academic degree.
- Register for at least 12 credit hours that count toward the declared program of study.
- Be “college-ready” in mathematics and English based on placement or completion of entry-level college coursework (see criteria below).
- Be classified as an in-state resident for tuition purposes.
- Satisfy the institution’s Title IV satisfactory academic progress requirements for federal financial aid.
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have a Student Aid Index (SAI) of 8500 or less. If you are legally prevented from filing the FAFSA, contact the financial aid office at the NSHE institution you plan to attend for alternative steps.
- Not have previously earned a bachelor’s degree.

Definition of “college-ready” for SSOG
A student will be considered college-ready for SSOG if any one of the following applies:

1) Currently or previously enrolled in mathematics and English courses at the 100-level or above;
2) Placed under institutional placement policies into college-level courses equivalent to at least Math 120 and English 101 (including corequisite models); or
3) Previously completed remedial coursework with a grade of C or better in Math 096 and/or English 098.

Application and award process
Submitting the FAFSA (or an institution-provided alternate application, if applicable) is a required step for SSOG consideration. Funds are limited and priority is given to students enrolled in 15 credits who demonstrate the greatest financial need. Financial need is determined by the Student Aid Index (SAI) from the FAFSA. Award priority is applied in tiers: first, students enrolled in at least 15 credits; next, students in fewer than 15 credits who are in their final semester before graduation; and then other eligible students enrolled in 12 or more credits. Within each tier, funds are distributed in ascending SAI order beginning with -1500 up to 8500, until available funds are exhausted. The FAFSA requirement enables the State to maximize use of federal aid in combination with SSOG funding.