Every Friday in October, Ozarks Technical Community College will host “Fast Track Fridays” to teach prospective students how they can take advantage of Missouri’s Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant to attend college tuition-free. The dates for “Fast Track Fridays” are Oct. 4, 11, 18 and 25 from 2-4 p.m. in room 117 in the Information Commons West building at the OTC Springfield Campus.
Individuals who are interested in attending a Fast Track Friday event or simply want to learn more about Fast Track should contact OTC’s Financial Aid Department at (417) 447-6999, email fasttrack@otc.edu or visit students.otc.edu/fasttrack.
The Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant pays tuition and fees for any student in the state who is 25 years of age or older and meets the following criteria:
- Be a Missouri resident
- Have a household income of $80,000 or less for a family, $40,000 or less for an individual
- Complete a Fast Track application
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- Not have circumstances preventing a student from receiving federal student aid, such as, being in default on a federal loan
- Enroll in an eligible college program determined to be high-need by the state
Students younger than 25 years old are eligible for Fast Track as long as they have not been enrolled in any education program in the previous two years and meet the above requirements.
The Missouri Department of Higher Education selected which programs at each college in the state are eligible for Fast Track funding. These include, but are not limited to: accounting and business management, engineering, nursing, teaching and welding. The complete list of eligible OTC programs can be found here.
Generally, Fast Track pays tuition and general fees for four semesters of full-time enrollment at any Missouri public college or university or the part-time equivalent in an approved program. Even if a student’s tuition and fees are entirely paid for by other financial aid funding, such as a Pell Grant, Fast Track eligible students can qualify for up to $500 to cover any remaining educational costs.
The grant does convert to a loan if any of the following occur:
- The student does not graduate from an approved program
- The student does not secure full-time employment within 12 months following graduation
- The student does not remain a Missouri resident for three years following graduation
