The Connecticut Office of Higher Education (OHE) today announced the launch of a new financial aid grant program to support students enrolled in Connecticut-authorized private career schools.
Funded through the Private Career School Student Benefit Account, the program is established pursuant to statute, which requires the Office of Higher Education to administer financial aid grants once the Student Protection Account balance reaches a statutory threshold.
According to Timothy D. Larson, Commissioner of the Office of Higher Education, the program will provide tuition assistance to students who are nearing completion of their training programs and may be at risk of not finishing due to financial hardship.
“This program is designed to help students cross the finish line,” said Larson. “By providing targeted financial support to students who are close to completing their programs, we are helping strengthen Connecticut’s workforce and ensuring that students can achieve the credentials they have been working toward.”
Approximately 90 Connecticut-authorized private career schools are eligible to participate in the program. Based on program design and available funding, OHE anticipates receiving nominations for approximately 200 students during the initial award cycle. The total funding available for this cycle is approximately $90,000.
The grant program will provide awards of up to $5,000 per student to help cover remaining tuition costs after other financial resources have been applied. To be eligible, students must be Connecticut residents, enrolled in an authorized private career school program, have completed at least 50% of their program, and demonstrate financial need.
The program criteria, application process, and policies were developed by OHE with the advice of the Private Career School Student Benefit Advisory Committee, as required by statute.
“This program represents an important step forward in supporting students who are working to build careers in high-demand fields,” stated State Representative Jason Rojas, House Majority Leader and a member of the committee. “By helping students overcome financial barriers near the end of their training, we are not only supporting individual success but also strengthening Connecticut’s workforce. I’m proud to have worked with the Advisory Committee and the Office of Higher Education to bring this program to life.”
Schools play a central role in the process and are responsible for identifying and nominating students for funding. In doing so, schools must follow program guidelines established by OHE, including:
- confirming student eligibility criteria;
- ensuring that grants are applied only to remaining tuition costs after all other funding sources have been used; and
- submitting nominations in accordance with established limits and ranking procedures.
The program operates through a structured nomination process. Students first complete a short application describing their financial circumstances. Schools then review applications, verify eligibility, and nominate a limited number of students for consideration.
Applications will be accepted between April 1 and April 30, 2026, with schools submitting nominations to OHE by May 15, 2026. Grant awards are expected to be distributed in June 2026.
Photo by Mikhail Nilov: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-goggles-working-9242809/
