A+ Scholarship Program — Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development

Missouri A+ is a state scholarship that may reduce tuition and general fees for graduates who completed the program at a designated A+ high school and then attend a participating postsecondary school. It does not automatically cover a four-year public university: the list includes public community colleges, vocational/technical schools and certain private two-year providers. The high school must have been A+ designated, the student must have signed an agreement before graduation, and U.S. citizenship or permanent-resident status is required.

The high-school side has specific milestones. Students must have attended a designated A+ school for two of the four years before graduation, graduate with at least a 2.5 unweighted GPA, maintain 95% attendance, complete 50 unpaid tutoring or mentoring hours and show good citizenship. The program also requires proficient or advanced performance on the Algebra I end-of-course exam or another approved math test; some graduating classes can use an ACT/Pre-ACT score-and-GPA alternative. Ask the A+ coordinator to review your record before your final semester, because missing requirements are not always fixable after leaving high school.

For 2026–27, the state caps reimbursement at $240 per credit hour or $8 per clock hour. The program applies after available non-loan federal aid, such as Pell; if Pell already covers tuition and general fees, the A+ payment may be zero. It is not cash for any purpose, and state appropriations can reduce payments. Books, transportation, housing and charges outside the program’s tuition/general-fee definition may remain your responsibility, so compare the package with the campus cost-of-attendance estimate.

There is no state paper application: ask the college or technical school what documents it needs along with the A+ mark on your high-school transcript. Submit FAFSA every year and list the school you plan to attend; the state receives Missouri residents’ electronic FAFSA records. Students must attend full-time, complete 12 credits each fall or spring term (six in summer) to stay eligible for the next term, and pursue a degree or certificate other than theology or divinity. Eligibility expires at 48 months after high-school graduation, an associate degree or 105% of the hours required for the program, whichever comes first.

A Missouri family’s forum question asked whether a student could use A+ after starting at a four-year university and later moving to a community college. Replies pointed to the use window and transfer-credit limits, but they are peer advice, not a state decision. Before transferring, request a written audit of attempted hours, accepted transfer credits, the 105% cap and months remaining. The high-school A+ coordinator confirms secondary eligibility; the financial-aid office handles the award. For a transfer of the benefit, the state lists 800-473-6757, option 4.