All Iowa Opportunity Scholarship

The All Iowa Opportunity Scholarship (AIOS) is a state-funded scholarship program for Iowa students who attend an eligible Iowa college/university.

Priority for Awards

• Students who age out of Iowa’s foster care system, age out of the State Training School, and students adopted from Iowa’s foster care system after age 16
• Children of deceased public safety workers (including peace officers, police, firefighters, sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, and correctional officers)
• Students who participated in certain federal TRIO programs while in high school (Upward Bound, Talent Search, Educational Opportunity Center)
• Students who graduated from alternative high schools or alternative high school programs
• Students who participated in a Federal GEAR UP Grant program in Iowa

Eligibility Criteria

Generally, high school seniors who graduated in 2023 or will graduate with the class of 2024 are eligible for the All Iowa Opportunity Scholarship if they meet the following criteria:

• Iowa resident
• Attending an eligible Iowa college or university
• Must have graduated from an eligible Iowa high school or completed a high school equivalency diploma within the last 2 years (students in foster care are exempt from this requirement)
• Be a first-time college freshman in the fall 2024 or spring 2025 semesters (unless you are renewing your scholarship award, or unless you aged out of foster care)
• Must be continuously enrolled in college and continuously receiving a scholarship disbursement to renew a scholarship (students who were in foster care are exempt from this requirement)
• Enroll for at least 3 semester hours (or the trimester or quarter equivalent) in a program leading to an undergraduate degree, diploma or certificate
• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and Iowa Financial Aid Application by March 1 (* the deadline has been extended to April 1, 2024 for the 2024-25 year.)
• Have an eligible Student Aid Index (SAI) on the 2024-25 FAFSA. The SAI range for scholarship eligibility for 2024-25 is (-1,500) - 10,396.

Award Amount and Limits

The amount of the AIOS award adjusts each year; the 2024-2025 maximum award is $5,198.

Students who are first-time recipients of AIOS in the 2024-25 school year can receive the scholarship for up to eight full-time semesters, or sixteen part-time semesters.

Renewing the Scholarship

Students can renew their award for up to eight full-time semesters or 16 part-time semesters, if the following criteria are met:

• Must be continuously enrolled in college and continuously receiving a scholarship disbursement in each semester/term (students who were in foster care are exempt from this requirement)
• Have an eligible Student Aid Index (SAI) throughout the entire school year
• File a FAFSA by March 1 prior to each academic year