Then the students’ schools will certify their eligibility to participate.Students will then create an account and sign a Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”) consent.Students will also see the first of several disclosures.Students will start by providing information about themselves, their campus and their program. Students can apply for the Student Freedom Agreement through the student application portal: What are the steps in completing the Student Freedom Agreement application? The National Association of Manufacturers and Deloitte reported the average difference in first year salary between STEM and non-STEM is $24,100 for college graduates. According to National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), Status and Trends in the education of Racial and Ethnic Groups, there will be 3.5 Million STEM jobs in the US to fill by 2025. According to Science News, the growth rate for STEM versus non-STEM fields is 2 times. The Student Freedom Agreement launched in fall 2021 with an initial focus on STEM majors because statistics show that a STEM education can serve as a pathway to freedom for students - opening the door to the widest array of opportunities in the 21st century economy. For a list of majors identified by each of the participating institutions, please see Participating Schools. anchored in the National Science Foundation data and identified by the participating institution. The eligible majors currently include certain majors associated with select Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (or “STEM”) fields. Why is funding for the Student Freedom Agreement only available to STEM majors? Only juniors and seniors who are pursuing approved STEM degrees at participating schools and who otherwise meet Student Freedom Initiative’s eligibility criteria can receive funding from Student Freedom Initiative. Students can apply for the Student Freedom Agreement through the Student Application Portal:Īre Freshman and Sophomore students eligible to apply for a Student Freedom Agreement? Where can eligible students apply for the Student Freedom Agreement? No, as a parent or guardian you cannot legally enter into a binding contractual agreement on the behalf of the student, however, a parent or guardian may advise the student of this funding opportunity for their consideration. For additional information, contact your school's financial aid office or the Department of Education at: Ĭan parents or guardians apply for the Student Freedom Agreement for their student? Please note: You may qualify for federal student loans. (h)Meeting satisfactory academic progress as defined by student’s school. (g)Working towards a degree in an approved STEM major and (f)Enrolled full-time for the coming academic term (unless we grant an exception because student requires less than full-time enrollment to complete his/her bachelor’s degree in her/his final year of study) (e)Junior or senior for the school year being funded To enter the United States on a non-immigrant visa (c)Not an international student or foreign exchange student authorized (a) Completed a FAFSA or acceptable alternative state aid application that is accepted and approved by student’s school To be eligible to receive funding from us, a student’s school must be a participant in the income-contingent funding alternative component of Student Freedom Initiative's program, and the student must meet all the following criteria immediately prior to the disbursement of funds (as determined and confirmed by student’s school): Who can apply for Student Freedom Agreement? Instead, a Student Freedom Agreement is available to cover a student’s remaining cost of attendance after those other aid sources are considered, as a potential alternative to other private education loans and Parent PLUS loans. It is not intended to replace any state or institutional aid, or any federal grants, work-study, or Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans. Student Freedom Agreement is a private education loan that is an income-contingent funding option that should be considered just one part of a student’s overall financial aid package.

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