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OSAC MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
Office of Student Access and Completion (OSAC)
October 2024
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Oregon is filling the gap with FAFSA/ORSAA filings
While the 2024-25 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) was delayed and off to a rocky start at the beginning of the 2024 year, Oregon continues to fill the gap and has nearly caught up to 2023-24 filing rates. In an effort to increase the number of Oregonians eligible for financial aid, the HECC Office of Student Access and Completion (OSAC) releases the FAFSA/ORSAA (Oregon Student Aid Application) completion rates for high schools. According to the OSAC data released on September 23, 2024 on overall FAFSA/ORSAA filing rates the gap in filers year to year was -0.6%.
OSAC and education partners engaged in several strategies to catch up FAFSA filing rates by the start of the Fall term. ASPIRE sites continued driving the message to submit the 2024-25 FAFSA/ORSAA through the end of the school year with high school seniors. Community partners and OSAC continue to leverage social media to remind students to submit the FAFSA/ORSAA. Without the student engagement by high schools and Oregon’s higher education partners, Oregon would not have been able to close the gap. OSAC truly appreciates the efforts of the many people and organizations who contributed to sharing the message and driving students to file the 2024-25 FAFSA.
Top 3 large schools for FAFSA/ORSAA completions
- Grant Hight 77.1%
- Ida B Wells-Barnett High School 76.3$
- Ashland High School 76%
Top three small schools for FAFSA/ORSAA completions
- Early College High 91.7%
- South Wasco County High 84.6%
- St Paul High 80.8%
Top three large school districts for FAFSA/ORSAA completions
- Ashland SD 5 75%
- Sherwood SD 88J 66%
- Lake Oswego 64.8%
Top three small school districts for FAFSA/ORSAA completions
- South Wasco County SD 1 84.6%
- St Paul SD 45 80.8%
- Sherman County SD 68.4%
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The Oregon Promise Grant Application is open.
The Oregon Promise Grant application for students who graduate or complete their GED® between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025 is now open. All students should apply, even if they aren’t sure of their graduation date, income, final GPA/GED scores. This application includes the 2024-25 Winter and Spring cohorts, as well as Fall 2025-26 cohort.
The 25-26 FAFSA will open on December 1; the ORSAA will open soon after. Either the FAFSA or ORSAA is required to apply for The Oregon Promise.
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We were busy serving students in 2023-2024!
Last year, the ASPIRE program expanded to include 182 high schools, middle schools, and community-based organizations across 31 counties statewide, adding 20 new sites.
ASPIRE awarded a record $431,000 in partnership grants to ASPIRE sites to help support their individual programs.
Out of the 182 sites, 92 offered one-on-one or small group mentoring and approximately 25,000 students received mentoring supporting including over 9,000 seniors.
These ASPIRE sites hosted 1,125 financial aid workshops for students and families.
Learn how to become an ASPIRE site.
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Oregon Tribal Student Grant
Application is Open! Deadline is March 2025.
The Oregon Tribal Student Grant provides funding for eligible Oregon tribal students to offset the cost of attendance at eligible Oregon colleges and universities. Current, new and continuing students are encouraged to apply for this grant for the 2024-25 academic year. The grant is intended to cover the average cost of attendance after all federal and state grants/scholarships have been applied.
ODVA Offers Veterans Educational Bridge Grant
ODVA Offers Veterans Educational Bridge Grant: The Veterans Educational Bridge Grant, administered by Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs (ODVA), offers grants of up to $5,000 to eligible student veterans who need financial assistance to stay in school and complete their education or apprenticeship program. The grant is specifically designed to support veterans who would not be able to complete their academic or training programs on time because of the unavailability of a required class or training hours, or other factors. The program was greatly expanded as of January 2024, including allowing veterans to apply regardless of their eligibility for federal GI Bill benefits. Grant eligibility was also extended to any career school licensed by HECC, any apprenticeship registered with the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI), and any On-The-Job Training (OTJ) program offered by a public employer. Eligible veterans may also now use Bridge Grant funds to pay off debt on a student account that is preventing them from registering for future terms. Learn more about eligibility and how to apply.
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Resources
ASPIRE Fall Conference
Each year, OSAC hosts a conference for ASPIRE and college access partners. This year's agenda is packed with exciting workshops, including sessions on Financial Aid, FAFSA/ORSAA, and scholarships. We will also offer workshops on supporting students interested in apprenticeships and trades, as well as sessions tailored to middle school programs and exploring the role of artificial intelligence in career and college readiness.
OSAC Webinars
AXS Toolbox for the Common App
Get Schooled - Introduction to Tools and Resources
Support Your Middle School Students with C3 Resources
Senior Next Steps: What happens after a student is accepted to college
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Learn more on our website:
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