21st Century Scholars

Closing the Gap in Educational Achievement

Indiana’s 21st Century Scholars program is a nationally-recognized, early college promise program and will celebrate 30 years of growth and success in 2020. Started in 1990, the 21st Century Scholars program offers income-eligible Hoosiers up to four years of paid tuition at a participating Indiana college or university after graduating from high school.

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Celebrating 30 Years

Ball State University has graduated 4,617 students throughout the history of the 21st Century Scholars program. These students have been vital to closing the achievement gap among racial and ethnic groups, curbing the brain drain of talented high school graduates leaving Indiana, and helping the state work toward its goal of having at least 60% of all Hoosiers having education and training beyond high school.

Caroline Everidge

Anyea Gooch

Tom Gubbins

Katie Huston

Jonathan Isbill

Brandi Lambertson

Andrea McDermott

Caleb Morey

Mike Rivera

More than 40,000 students in Indiana have earned a college degree with a 21st Century Scholarship

Ball State has graduated 4,167 Scholars throughout the history of the program

Nearly 100,000 students statewide are currently enrolled in the program

How Our Scholars Benefit

Ball State is one of the first institutions across the state offering the College Scholar Success Program—a program designed to create a more engaged and career prepared student.

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"There are a lot of kids that come from broken homes or backgrounds where living paycheck to paycheck and keeping the lights on is a real thing. That can be a generational problem. But 21st Century Scholars broke that chain in our family."

—Tom Gubbins, '02

Additional Financial Aid and Scholarships

About 80% of Ball State students qualify for financial aid in the form of scholarships, grants, and more. We administer more than 500 financial aid resources from federal, state, institutional, and private programs.

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Our Students Excel

Our students work and learn collaboratively with faculty and staff in pursuit of a bright future because they have the intellectual curiosity, courage, and dedication to shape it.

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