Student Excellence Equals Degree (SEED) Scholarship

College tuition doesn't always fit into every budget, and finances sometimes keep good students from going to college. That's why the SEED (Student Excellence Equals Degree) Scholarship program was started in 2005. This free-tuition* program was expanded in 2021 to include Delawareans of all ages who would like to pursue an academic degree or a workforce training certificate.

The SEED scholarship can be applied to an associate degree, diploma, credit certificate, bachelor’s degree, or workforce training program at Delaware Tech. The free tuition can be applied to five years of courses (paying for a full associate degree and one additional year toward a bachelor’s degree).

Course fees and books are not covered by the SEED Scholarship.

SEED - Scholarship Information

The expanded Student Excellence Equals Degree (SEED+) scholarship is now available to more Delawareans who have traditionally been shut out of access to higher education. While the original SEED scholarship program was available only to recent high school graduates, the expansion opens this tuition-free option to Delawareans of all ages. The expanded scholarship will:

• Remove the age restriction for applicants, though people 25 years of age and over must meet a five-year Delaware residency requirement.
• Include all credit and non-credit programs leading to the award of a recognized academic credential or associate degree (this includes short-term certificate programs in areas such as diesel technology, allied health, or information technology (IT).
• Expand eligibility to 10 semesters, so scholarship recipients will have additional time to complete an academic degree program (this is critical for those who are going to school while working full-time and supporting their families).
• Allow students to go part-time after their first semester.
• Students may take a year off without losing their SEED scholarship. Additional gaps in enrollment can be approved based on military or volunteer service, medical conditions, or personal/financial hardship, but gaps in enrollment do not extend the five-year funding period.
• Include students who have a GED or Delaware State Board of Education Endorsement Secondary Credentials.” Delaware Tech has created a GPA equivalency for students with a GED so they can directly enter an associate degree program if they have the equivalent of the required 2.5 GPA. However, those who graduate high school with less than a 2.5 GPA may obtain an associate degree through the SEED scholarship program if they are enrolled in a pathway program and successfully complete each step. Workforce training certificates do not require a minimum GPA, but do require graduation from a Delaware high school/GED program.
• Be available to individuals with non-violent felonies (previously, individuals with felony convictions were not eligible for the scholarship).

The following scholarship requirements from the original SEED scholarship still apply:

• Must be a graduate from a Delaware high school.
• If you have already received either a high school diploma or GED from outside the state of Delaware or internationally, you are ineligible for the SEED scholarship.
• The equivalency standards for Delaware home-schooled students shall be a complete home-schooled academic transcript, or a combined score of 1350 on the new SAT or a composite ACT score of at least 19.
• Undocumented students must meet the same eligibility requirements as documented students. To qualify as an undocumented scholarship recipient, the student must have: (a) attended a high school located within the State of Delaware for two or more years; (b) graduated from a Delaware high school; (c) applied for all campus-based financial aid (scholarships, etc.) for which s/he would be eligible.
• Individuals who lived in foster care under the jurisdiction of the Department of Services for Children and their Families at any point between the ages of 16 and 18, whether placed within or outside Delaware, qualify for the SEED Scholarship provided they meet in-state tuition residency requirements. These individuals must self-identify to the Financial Aid Office with proof of foster care status between the ages of 16 and 18.
• A student shall have satisfied admission standards and met Delaware residency requirements as determined by Delaware Tech.
• A student shall have applied for all appropriate forms of financial aid for which the student is eligible including, but not limited to, the Federal Pell Grant, financial aid programs administered by the Delaware Higher Education Commission, financial aid programs administered by Delaware Tech, and shall have accepted all such financial assistance offered or awarded to the student, except for loans. If Pell Grant funds cover full tuition, the SEED Scholarship will NOT be awarded. If Pell Grant funds do NOT cover full tuition, the SEED Scholarship will be awarded to cover the difference up to the cost of tuition. · A student must apply for financial aid by completing and submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). A student must complete all institutional forms and supporting documentation as requested by the campus. A student should apply for financial aid by the priority date of April 1 of each year.