In this month's Engaging the Community, Missouri State University President Clif Smart speaks with KSMU's Jennifer Moore about Missouri's new Fast Track college scholarship program for adults ages 25 and older who don't yet have a college degree.
Legislation creating the Fast Track scholarship program was passed by lawmakers earlier this year and signed into law by Governor Mike Parson.
Smart credited the governor with prioritizing higher education and championing the idea.
“He saw a hole in our state scholarship programs,” Smart said.
Before now, Missouri didn’t have a scholarship for adults without a college degree who were not immediate graduates of high school, Smart said.
Who’s eligible for Fast Track?
“You need to be a Missouri resident. You need to be at least 25 years old. And if you’re married, you can’t make more than 80,000 dollars filing jointly per your tax return,” Smart said.
Adults filing taxes in any other status must make no more than $40,000 a year to qualify.
You can see the other eligibility requirements here.
Using the scholarship to serve high-need career fields
Applicants must use the scholarship money in an approved program at an approved state college or university.
“And that's because the state wants to use this scholarship to fund really high-need areas,” Smart said.
Missouri State University and more than two dozen other state colleges and universities are taking part in the Fast Track scholarship program. The list of programs approved for scholarship recipients at Missouri State University includes education, language, health care and technology degrees, among others.
“Now here’s the deal: you have to be able to get the degree in two years or less,” Smart said. So to use Fast Track scholarship money at MSU’s Springfield campus, students would need to already have some college credits, he said.
"The community colleges will take advantage of this, as will Missouri State-West Plains," said Smart, adding that Fast Track is a natural fit for programs that only take two years.
How to apply for a Fast Track scholarship
Eligible adults can begin by selecting an approved program of study. Then, according to the Missouri Department of Higher Education's website, they can complete a Fast Track application online through the State Financial Aid Portal. Students must also complete a FAFSA form each academic year they are enrolled in the scholarship program.
Conditions of employment, residency under Fast Track
According to MDHE, students who use the Fast Track scholarship must achieve "qualifying employment" within 12 months of graduating and keep a job in Missouri for at least three years.
They must also maintain at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA. If the grant recipient doesn't meet the residency and employment requirements for three years after graduating, then a portion of the scholarship amount will be converted to a loan and will be repayable with interest, according to the MDHE website.
The Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant program was one of Governor Parson's signature workforce development packages and was sponsored in the legislature by Springfield-area state senator Lincoln Hough.
The Missouri Department of Higher Education will host an event at MSU-West Plains to highlight the new scholarship program on Friday, August 23 from 2:00 - 4:00 PM in Hass-Darr Hall, located at 201 Garfield Avenue in West Plains. You can find more information on that event here.