JET grants available for students

The State Comptroller recently announced a scholarship program now available to students at a public junior college or public technical institute. The Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) scholarship awards are available to assist students who are enrolled in training programs for high - demand occupations. The needs-based scholarships will cover the tuition, required fees, student lab fees and student exam or certification fees.

Scholarships will be awarded only to qualifying students seeking professional registration, certification or licensure in high-demand occupations where an associate degree or certificate is a basic prerequisite for such registration. To qualify, students must be legal U.S. residents, able to demonstrate financial need and enrolled in a Comptroller-approved training program leading to a high-demand occupation.

The Comptroller has identified the following academic programs as approved training programs for high-demand areas for the JET scholarships. These are computer and information sciences and support (except data entry, microcomputer applications and general computer use); construction trades; engineering technologies/technicians (except quality control technology/technician); precision production (except cabinetmaking and millwork); mechanical repair and technologies (except electrical/electronics equipment installation and general repair, communications systems installation and repair, motorcycle maintenance and repair and watch making or jewelry making); and health professions and related clinical sciences. Some of the exclusions from the health professionals program are athletic trainer, clinical/medical social work, dentistry, nursing administration, medicine, pharmacy, veterinary medicine and community health services such as counseling.

Students can apply for a JET scholarship online at www.fafsa.gov or at the Central Texas College webpage http://www.ctcd.edu/pdf/jet_appl_ferpa_release.pdf .