Get Started at Purdue as a Nontraditional Student
Welcome to Span Plan. We are a student support program serving nontraditional undergraduate students to reach their education goals. Providing exceptional outcomes since 1968, Dean Helen Schleman began our program and the pursuit of education equity at all stages of life. Our rich history leads to our community of over 700 active students on campus today.
Information for Students
Span Plan welcomes undergraduate nontraditional students at the West Lafayette campus to engage with our program and student networks. Whether looking to connect to other nontraditional students, gain access to academic tools and scholarship aid, or just have general questions, we are here to support your education journey. If you are considering your next moves as a nontraditional student, we encourage you to contact Span Plan Director Keara Ludiker for assistance. We are working to create a survey to automate this process, and expect it to be ready in the coming weeks.
As a student you are not required to be part of Span Plan and there is no cost to be part of our student community. We'll be here when you need us!
Getting Started
Whether you are starting with college credit or this is your first time attending college, the following resources will help you gather information and get started. If you have college credit you plan to transfer in, you will want to click here. If you have had a break from high school to college, you will click here for application information and more specifics on high school requirements.
Scholarships
Span Plan offers several academic scholarships for nontraditional undergraduate students as well as a childcare scholarship for our parenting students. The Span Plan Academic Scholarship application is due July 1 each year and the Childcare Assistance Scholarship is available each semester for our Span Plan students.
Indiana residents are encouraged to review their eligibility for the state's Adult Student Grant. If not an Indiana resident, please check with your state to determine if any grants exist that may be used for education outside of your state.
Looking for more scholarship resources? Scholarship Universe is Purdue’s resource for many departmental scholarships as well as outside scholarships. Additionally, check out our resource page to find more scholarship opportunities for nontraditional students!
Financial Aid
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) should be completed as quickly as possible when considering attendance at Purdue University. Purdue has a FAFSA filing priority date of March 1 each year (for both new and returning students). The Division of Financial Aid is a good place to visit to access their net price calculator, apply for campus wide scholarships, policies, and additional deadlines.
Donors
Span Plan continues to provide dynamic programs and financial support for nontraditional students because of the generosity of individuals that feel strongly that education does not just follow one path. If you are thinking about giving to Span Plan, your gift can be directed to three different areas of need; Span Plan general fund for programming and operating funds, Span Plan Scholarship for general academic scholarship support or the Parent Support Fund to assist with childcare scholarships to offset those fees for Span Plan students.
If you would like to keep up with Span Plan events and news, we invite you to sign up for our newsletter developed for friends of the program. You'll receive updates 3-4 times each year that highlight students, initiatives and updates.
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