The Span Plan Grant program grew out of a sincere desire to help adult students get off to a strong start in their education without the undue worry of how they would pay for their beginning courses. Grants have been awarded for over 35 years and total more than $500,000. Span Plan grants provide new starts every semester.

Part-time adult undergraduate students registered for 7 or fewer credit hours for the fall and spring semesters and 5 or fewer credit hours for the summer session are eligible to apply for a Span Plan grant. Grants are available to students enrolled at Purdue's West Lafayette campus as well as the Statewide Tech-Lafayette site. Financial need is the primary criteria for eligibility. Additional criteria include:

• Adult nontraditional student defined as a student who has not taken a traditional path to higher education and who has been out of high school at least 3 years
• Status: part-time (as defined above) nontraditional undergraduate students without a previous bachelor's degree
• Enrollment: enrolled at Purdue, West Lafayette campus or Statewide Tech-Lafayette site
• Academic Status: in good academic standing (not on academic probation or in drop status) at time of application approval
• Registration Status: registered for coursework at the time of application review
• Maximum grant awards: applicants may receive up to 4 Span Plan grants

All Span Plan Grant criteria must be met for a student to be eligible for a grant.

A Span Plan grant pays each student's in-state tuition and fees, and a $100.00 book stipend for one 3-credit hour course per semester/session. A new application must be submitted each semester.

Grant Application Deadlines: There is a priority deadline date for each semester/session as listed below. Applications are date-stamped with students submitting their grant applications on or before the deadline having priority status for application review. Those students submitting an application after the deadline will also have their applications date-stamped for review according to the date received. Grant awards will continue as long as semester/session funding allows. No grant application will be accepted after the first day of class for the semester/session applied for.

Application process: Students should adhere to the grant application process to ensure that their application is complete by each semester's deadline:

1. Click on the application link below.
2. Complete and Print the application with the information requested.
3. Even if you have completed a FAFSA (Federal Financial Aid Form) for the current academic year, provide income verification in the form of current stubs.
4. Send signed application and income verification to the address shown on the second page of the application by the stated deadline.**
5. Register for a class that will be funded by the Span Plan Grant.*

*Course registration for the semester/session a student is applying for must be completed before an application will be reviewed. Review of applications starts the week following the priority deadline. Students without a registration will not be reviewed until registration is completed.

**Purdue employees only: Complete a staff remission form. A Span Plan Grant will not be awarded until the remission is applied and accurate student tuition and fees can be calculated.

If you have questions while completing a grant application, please call 494-1257 for assistance.

Please note: Beginning students, defined as a student with 18 or fewer credits, will have priority over continuing students in keeping with the intent of the Span Plan Grant Program and donor wishes.