What are the designated programs?
• The designated programs fall into five targeted career areas that are in high demand in Virginia:
Healthcare, Information Technology, Manufacturing and Skilled Trades, Early Childhood Education, and Public Safety.
The programs are designed to be “stackable,” meaning that each program starts with skills training that leads to a certificate with immediate value in the labor market. Because the certificate is part of an associate degree, a working student can continue to “stack” additional certificates on the pathway to an associate degree.
How does tuition assistance work?
G3 Program funds make up the difference between what federal or state financial aid pays for and the cost of tuition, fees, and books for the program. This means that an individual enrolling in a certificate or degree program must first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be eligible for the program. An individual enrolling in a designated short-term credential program must provide documentation of household income or eligibility for federal assistance programs.
Does a student have to enroll full-time?
• The G3 Program will be available for full- and part-time students. A part-time student must enroll in a minimum of 6 credit hours per semester or in an approved short-term program.
• The G3 Program will provide additional financial assistance to students who qualify for full Federal Pell Grants and enroll full-time (12 or more credit hours in fall and spring semesters and 6 credit hours in summer). This additional assistance is intended to reduce the number of part-time hours a student has to work so that he or she can spend more time studying.
Is there a time limit for eligibility?
• As long as a G3-eligible student continues in the same program pathway, he or she has up to three years to complete an associate degree.
• A student who completes a certificate and stops out to work will still be eligible for G3 if he or she returns within one year. After returning, the student will have two years to complete the associate degree.