A tuition assistance grant is any amount of money given to a student or potential student to help with school tuition payments. A grant is different from a loan in that it is not repaid. Tuition assistance grants are typically given to undergraduate and graduate students to help with the costs of attending college.
Tuition assistance grants come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and may include funds to cover the cost of school books, room and board, course tuition, or general school supplies. Typically, a tuition assistance grant is created for a specific purpose in a specific community. For example, a group of Hispanic leaders in a community may raise funds to provide a grant to a Hispanic high school student who otherwise would not be able to afford college. Individuals who fit the demographic of a non-profit organization may be eligible for tuition assistance programs. The Catholic Church, for example, provides a tuition assistance grant to registered members of the church who meet certain criteria.
A merit-based tuition assistance grant is also possible. They function more like scholarships in this case, but they are still given for a specific purpose. For example, a student with a high grade point average or other academic distinction may be eligible for a grant. A gifted student athlete, such as a football player or swimmer, may be eligible for a grant from a local athletic club.
A tuition assistance grant may be retroactive in some cases, meaning that the grant is given to the student after he completes a course and submits an invoice. This is typical of employer-sponsored grants. The student would pay for the course himself and then request reimbursement from his or her employer. In these cases, the grant is offered as a reimbursement if a certain grade is achieved. Any grade below that will result in the grant being forfeited.
Employer-provided tuition assistance grants can have some drawbacks. While they may not require the money to be paid back, they may require the student to work for the company for a set period of time. For example, each course that the employer pays for may necessitate an additional month of work at the company. If a student uses an employer’s tuition assistance grant for an entire semester of school, the student may owe the employer several years of work or be forced to pay the tuition back.