Nevada Financial Aid: State Grants, Scholarships and Free College Programs

Start with the FAFSA

Every major Nevada aid program outside the Millennium Scholarship runs off your FAFSA results. File it as early as possible each year at studentaid.gov , since Nevada's need-based grants work off a limited state budget and process applications in the order they arrive.

Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship

The Millennium Scholarship is Nevada's merit award for high school graduates, and it needs no separate application. Your school district sends your records directly to the Nevada Treasurer's office, according to the program's official FAQ .

To qualify, you need:

• A Nevada high school diploma, plus Nevada residency for at least the last 2 years of high school

• A weighted or unweighted GPA of 3.25 or higher, or a qualifying SAT score of 1070 or ACT score of 21

• 4 units of English, 4 units of math including Algebra II or higher, 3 units of science and 3 units of social science or history

Award amounts scale with where you enroll: $80 per credit hour at Nevada's universities, up to 15 credits a semester, $60 per credit at NSHE state colleges, and $40 per credit for 9 to 12 credits at community colleges. The lifetime cap sits at $10,000 for undergraduates, and the award expires 6 years after high school graduation or when funds run out, whichever comes first.

Silver State Opportunity Grant

The Silver State Opportunity Grant (SSOG) is Nevada's need-based grant, available at 5 NSHE campuses: College of Southern Nevada, Great Basin College, Nevada State University, Truckee Meadows Community College and Western Nevada College. It does not apply at UNR or UNLV.

To qualify, you need to:

• File the FAFSA with a Student Aid Index (SAI) of 8500 or less

• Enroll in at least 12 credit hours that count toward your declared program

• Show college readiness in math and English, through placement testing or completed remedial coursework

• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress and hold no prior bachelor's degree

The award uses a shared-responsibility formula: total cost of attendance minus your expected student contribution, your SAI, and any federal aid you already receive. At College of Southern Nevada , that works out to up to $2,750 per semester ($5,500 a year) for students enrolled in 15 or more credits by the census date. Enroll in fewer credits and your award gets prorated down, and dropping under 15 credits after the census date cancels the award for that term with no reassessment.

Nevada Promise Scholarship

The Nevada Promise Scholarship is a last-dollar award. It pays your base registration fee and certain mandatory fees at a Nevada community college after your other grants and scholarships apply, for up to 3 years. It works as Nevada's free-community-college program for students who qualify.

To qualify, you need to:

• Graduate from a Nevada public or private high school, or a border-county high school that accepts Nevada residents

• File the FAFSA or the Non-FAFSA Filer Declaration Form (DACA students file the FAFSA)

• Complete 8 hours of community service in the year before enrollment

• Meet with an assigned mentor at least once

• Enroll in at least 12 credits per semester in an associate degree, bachelor's degree, or eligible certificate program

Applications open in the fall before you plan to enroll, with a deadline around October 31. Check the exact date for your target enrollment year on your community college's Promise page, since it can shift slightly cycle to cycle.

Stacking your aid

These programs work together rather than against each other. A Nevada high school graduate headed to community college could combine the Millennium Scholarship, the Silver State Opportunity Grant and the Nevada Promise Scholarship with a federal Pell Grant, since Promise only pays what other aid leaves uncovered. Apply for each program separately, since eligibility rules and deadlines do not line up exactly.

Deadlines to track

Missing the Promise Scholarship window for one year does not disqualify you permanently, but it does mean waiting for the next application cycle, so mark the October date on your calendar as soon as you decide on a Nevada community college.