State Grants & ProgramsFirst come, first served

Vermont Advancement Grant

Offered by Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) · Free to apply

The Advancement Grant comes from the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC), the organization that administers Vermont's state financial aid. VSAC itself was created by the Vermont Legislature in 1965 as a public nonprofit agency, and its counselors work with students in nearly every Vermont middle and high school. The Advancement Grant is the renamed successor to what was long called the Vermont Non-Degree Grant. The Vermont grant built for people who are not enrolling in a degree. The Advancement Grant funds non-degree courses and non-matriculated programs at VSAC-approved schools and businesses, aimed at Vermonters enhancing job skills and employability, and at non-traditional students testing whether postsecondary study is for them. The award is calculated from financial need and the cost of the course rather than a flat figure. Two structural limits shape how it is used: you are considered for only two courses per enrolment term, up to two enrolment terms a year, and a lifetime ceiling of six terms applies. Applications are handled first come, first served while funding lasts, with eligibility decisions arriving roughly two to three weeks after a complete application.

Other deadlines near this one

How hard is the Vermont Advancement Grant to win?

This is not a competition, but the funding is rationed: eligible students are routinely turned away once the money runs out, so filing date decides the outcome.

Estimated odds: most eligible students who file early receive it
Paperwork: ~1.5 hrs to file

What drives the odds here

Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.

Fewer rivalsOpen only to Vermont residents

How Solyo estimates this: State programs that allocate by published formula are modelled on qualification and filing, not on competition, because there is no selection committee choosing between applicants. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.

Who can apply for the Vermont Advancement Grant?

These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.

Must be a resident of Vermont
Must attend a college in Vermont (the award does not travel out of state)
Open to adult learners, current college students, and transfer students
Open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents (green card)

Confirm these before applying

Must be a Vermont resident who has lived in Vermont for one year before the class starts (exceptions apply for parolees, refugees, and special immigrant visa holders)
Must be enrolled in a non-degree or non-matriculated program at a school or business approved by VSAC
Must have financial need as determined by the VSAC Grant Program
Must not already have received six terms of the Advancement Grant (formerly the Vermont Non-Degree Grant)
Must not be receiving a Vermont Incentive Grant (full-time study) or a Vermont Part-Time Grant for the same semester
Must have a high school diploma or G.E.D.

Good to know

Non-citizens who are not eligible non-citizens should request the Advancement Grant Pathway Application instead
You are considered for only two courses per enrolment term, up to two enrolment terms per year

Personalized matching

Does your student actually qualify?

Not sure your student clears every rule above? Solyo checks 20+ criteria against their real profile: GPA, state, grade level, intended major, and more, across every award in this directory at once.

Match my student to scholarships

What the application takes

No essay, recommendation letters, or transcript are required. This is one of the lighter applications in the directory.

Deadline and application cycle

The current deadline is June 30, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around June 30 each year. There is no application deadline: the grant covers courses starting July 1 through June 30 of the academic year, first-come while funding lasts, and VSAC even accepts applications after a course ends if that year still has funds.

Apply before your course begins: June 30, 2027
Eligibility decision: about 2 to 3 weeks after a complete application

Remind me before June 30 Apply on the official site

Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee. We use your student's information only to build their plan.

Common questions about the Vermont Advancement Grant

How much is the Vermont Advancement Grant worth?

VSAC does not publish a dollar figure; your award is calculated from your financial need and the actual cost of the course, up to a maximum that VSAC sets each year and that varies by program type. So the honest answer is "it depends on your course and your finances," and anyone quoting you a fixed amount is guessing. The caps are what families should actually plan around: VSAC will fund at most two courses per enrollment term, no more than two enrollment terms per financial year (July 1 to June 30), and six enrollment terms across your lifetime. Funds are limited and applications are first-come, first-served, so the effective award for late applicants in a given year can be zero.

When is the Vermont Advancement Grant deadline?

There is no application deadline. The 2026-2027 grant covers non-degree courses that start between July 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027, and VSAC considers applications first-come, first-served until that year's funding runs out. VSAC even lets you apply after your class has finished, as long as the course began in an academic year that still has funds. The real clock is the money, not a date: applying early in the cycle is the only way to be sure funds are still there. Expect an eligibility decision about 2 to 3 weeks after your application is complete, and budget extra time if your school is not already VSAC-approved, because that review can slow processing significantly.

Who is eligible for the Vermont Advancement Grant?

A Vermont resident who has lived in the state for one year before the class starts, is a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen, is enrolled in a non-degree or non-matriculated course at a school or business approved by VSAC, and shows financial need under the VSAC Grant Program. You also need a high school diploma or GED, or to have been out of traditional high school for at least three months, and you cannot have already used your six lifetime terms of the grant. Two fine-print items: you cannot receive it for a semester in which you hold a Vermont Incentive or Part-Time Grant, and students who cannot file the FAFSA are not shut out; VSAC has a separate Advancement Grant Pathway Application for them.

What grants does VSAC offer, and which one fits my situation?

VSAC administers two Vermont grants plus access to the federal ones. The Vermont Grant is for residents in a degree or certificate program, full-time or part-time; it requires the FAFSA plus VSAC's own application, and eligible students received $1,000 to $15,350 for 2025-2026, for up to 10 full-time semesters before a first bachelor's degree. The Advancement Grant is the short-term training lane: non-degree courses that improve your job prospects, no FAFSA involved. Federal grants like Pell come through the FAFSA on top. The fit rule is simple: matriculated in a program, apply for the Vermont Grant; taking a course or two without enrolling in a degree, apply for the Advancement Grant. You cannot draw a Vermont Incentive or Part-Time Grant and the Advancement Grant for the same semester.

What courses qualify for the Vermont Advancement Grant?

Non-degree, non-matriculated courses or programs that improve your ability to get a job or encourage further study, taken at a school or business approved by VSAC; think a single college course, license prep, or job training you are not enrolled in a degree for. The exclusion list is where applications die: no correspondence, self-improvement, recreational, peer review, or test-preparatory courses, and nothing located outside the United States. VSAC also will not pay GED exam fees (it points GED seekers to Vermont's Agency of Human Services), and it will not fund the same course twice. If you are unsure whether your program counts as non-matriculated, VSAC's advice is to ask your school before applying.

Does the Vermont Advancement Grant require the FAFSA?

No. Need is measured through VSAC's own grant application inside your MyVSAC account, not through the FAFSA. Expect to supply your federal income tax return if you filed one, untaxed income such as child support received, and asset details including savings, home, farm or business value and debt; dependent students will have a parent worksheet mailed to them. VSAC is explicit that decisions are not income-only: it weighs income, assets, family size, the age of the older parent and the cost of the school, and grades play no role at all. One more door worth knowing about: Vermonters who are ineligible to file the FAFSA can use the separate Advancement Grant Pathway Application instead.

How does a student apply for the Vermont Advancement Grant?

Create or log into a MyVSAC account at vsac.org, click "Work with Grants," and complete the 2026-2027 Advancement Grant application online. Before you start, gather your Social Security number, your school and enrollment term, the course name with its cost and start date, any other aid you are receiving, and your financial details. VSAC notifies you of eligibility roughly 2 to 3 weeks after the application is complete, but note the plumbing behind that phrase: uploaded documents take up to 3 business days to register on your account and then 7 to 10 business days for review. If you make a mistake, send VSAC a letter or email describing it; do not file a second application. The grant is paid directly to your school after it verifies your enrollment, never to you.

Does the Vermont Advancement Grant require an essay?

No essay is required. The application is light on requirements. Expect to spend about 1.5 hours on it.

How hard is it to win the Vermont Advancement Grant?

This is not a competition, but the funding is rationed: eligible students are routinely turned away once the money runs out, so filing date decides the outcome. Solyo classifies this award as first come, first served, meaning most eligible students who file early receive it. Plan on about 1.5 hrs of paperwork.

Is the Vermont Advancement Grant free to apply?

Yes. The Vermont Advancement Grant is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.

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Award details are curated by Solyo and verified against the official scholarship page. Deadlines and requirements can change between cycles, so always confirm on the provider's site before applying.