UHEAA (Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority)

UHEAA (Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority)

This is the state agency that guarantees federal college loans for students and oversees college grants, scholarships and the UESP. (Utah Educational Savings Plan)

They also make student consolidation loans for graduates, counsel borrowers about student loan debt and offer programs like school loan forgiveness to help keep student loan repayment, affordable.

Utah has no separate state college loan program.

Utah schools use the FFELP (Federal Family Education Loan Program) for federal student loans. The state pays the 1% federal guaranty fee for Utah students who borrow from a participating lender in the Utah State Board of Regents Loan Purchase Program.

Check your Utah FAFSA deadline.

Utah Grants, Scholarships for College

Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP)

• need-based award using federal and state matching funds
• maximum award in Utah is $2,500 (federal guidelines set a maximum of $5,000)
• FAFSA is the grant application

Utah Centennial Opportunity Program for Education

• need-based award (family income must be less than 200% of the federal poverty guideline)
• awards range from $300 to $5,000
• FAFSA used; only these schools use this grant:

  Brigham Young University
  College of Eastern Utah
  Dixie State College of Utah
  LDS Business College
  Salt Lake Community College
  Snow College
  Southern Utah University
  University of Utah
  Utah State University
  Utah Valley State College
  Weber State University
  Westminster College

Utah Educationally Disadvantaged Program

• for hearing impaired, learning disabled, physically disabled or visually impaired students
• available at:

  University of Utah
  Utah State University
  Weber State University
  Southern Utah University
  Snow College
  Dixie State College
  College of Eastern Utah
  Utah Valley State College
  Salt Lake Community College

Utah Tuition Waiver

These are need-based renewable awards for 2 and 4 year schools. The amounts vary from partial to full waivers. Some are available to non-residents.

Utah State Board of Regents Scholarships

• Base Award
• $1,000
• must complete Utah Scholars Core Course of Study
• 3.0 GPA- no core grade lower than a "C"
• at least one reported ACT score
• must be used within 12 months of high school graduation
• Exemplary Academic Achievement Award
• up to 75% of tuition and renewable
• must complete Utah Scholars Core Course of Study
• 3.5 GPA- no core grade lower than a "B"
• ACT score of 26 or better
• must be used within 12 months of high school graduation
• Utah Educational Savings Plan Supplemental Award
• worth up to $400
• meet the qualifications for a Regents Scholarship Award
• have a Utah Educational Savings Plan Trust (UESP) account

New Century Scholarship

• up to 75% of tuition costs for up to 60 credit hours to be used towards the completion of a bachelor’s degree

• requirements of an associate’s degree or the approved math and science curriculum at a Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) institution must be completed with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA by September 1st of the high school graduating year
• must maintain a 3.0 GPA
• up to 5 years from graduation to use the scholarship

Centennial Scholarship

• award for graduating high school early at these rates:

  $1,000 junior year
  $750 first quarter of the senior year
  $500 second quarter of the senior year
  $250 third quarter of the senior year
  $666 first trimester of the senior year
  $333 second trimester of the senior year

• must be enrolled as a full-time student within 1 year of graduation

Terrel H. Bell Teaching Incentive Loan Program (TILP)

• scholarship/loan program awards full tuition and fees
• Students who graduate with a teaching certificate and teach in a Utah K-12 school can repay the loan at the rate of 1 year of loan for each year of teaching.

WICHE Student Incentive Loan Program

Students can study at one of 140 out-of-state schools (in 15 states) and only pay 150% of tuition.

Utah School Loan Forgiveness

Utah Engineering and Computer Science Loan Forgiveness Program

• for UHEAA guaranteed Stafford or Perkins loans
• Degree program students receive a Certificate for Student Loan Forgiveness which guarantees that when the requirements for loan forgiveness are met, a direct credit for reduction of the outstanding principal balance will be given.
• must agree to work in Utah in the approved field of study for four years
• forgiven at the rate of one year of work for each year of loan
• Eligibility for forgiveness ends 6 years after degree completion.
• Graduates remain eligible for all federal student loan forgiveness programs.