Silver State Opportunity Grant

The Silver State Opportunity Grant Program (SSOG Program) is Nevada’s first and only state-supported financial aid program created by the 2015 Legislature pursuant to Senate Bill 227 (Chapter 387, Statutes of Nevada 2015). Under the SSOG Program, need based grants will be awarded to eligible low income students who are college-ready to pay for a portion of the cost of education at a community college or state college within the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE). This unique program is built on a shared responsibility model and guided by a philosophy for awarding grant aid based on the total cost of attendance (tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other living expenses) being shared by partners (the state, federal government, family, and the student).

Students from low-income families are a growing share of K-12 and higher education enrollments in Nevada, and their success in higher education is important, not only to the individual student and the public higher education institutions, but also to the State as a whole.  It will not be possible to reach the college attainment goals necessary for a healthy state economy without the success of Nevada’s low-income students.  The SSOG program is an aggressive first step by Nevada to encourage more low-income students to attend college full time and ultimately earn a degree or credential of value.

Who Is Eligible?

Eligible institutions include the NSHE community colleges and state university:

To be eligible for an SSOG award, a student must:

• Be enrolled in a program of study leading to a degree or certificate;
• Enroll in at least 12 credit hours that apply to the student’s chosen program of study
• Be college ready based on placement or completion of entry-level, college-level mathematics and English*
• Be classified as a resident for tuition purposes
• Meet institutional Title IV financial aid satisfactory academic progress requirements
• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have a Student Aid Index (SAI) of 8500 or less. If you are prohibited by law from completing the FAFSA, contact the financial aid office at the institution you plan to attend.
• Have not previously earned a bachelor’s degree.

*To be considered college-ready for the purpose of SSOG Program eligibility, a student must be 1) currently or previously enrolled in a 100 or above level mathematics and English course, 2) placed into a college-level course under institutional placement policies for placement into at least Math 120 and English 101, including corequisite courses, or 3) previously successfully completed remedial coursework (evident by a C or better in Math 096 and/or English 098).

Completion of the FAFSA (or an alternate application as provided by the instiuttion) is a critical step toward receiving an SSOG award. Funds for the SSOG program are limited and are awarded to students enrolled in 15 credits with the most financial need first. Financial need is based on the Student Aid Index (SAI), which is determined through completion of the FAFSA. Successively within each tier (students in at least 15 credits would be awarded first, followed by students in less than 15 credits and in their final semester of enrollment prior to graduation, then any other students in 12 or more credits), funds are awarded to eligible students in ascending SAI order, starting with -1500 up to 8500 SAI, until funds are exhausted. By requiring FAFSA completion for eligibility, the program allows the State to leverage federal aid to the greatest extent possible.