Frequently Asked Questions

Updated August 1, 2012

About the Scholarship

• When will the Alaska Performance Scholarship be available?
• Is funding available for scholarships?
• How much is the scholarship award?
• What determines the level of scholarship earned?

Eligibility

• Who can get an Alaska Performance Scholarship?
• Are high school seniors graduating in December eligible for the APS?
• Is a student who does not receive a high school diploma (instead receives a General Educational Development certificate or Certificate of Achievement) eligible for the Alaska Performance Scholarship?
• Are homeschooled students eligible for the APS?
• Are private school students eligible for the APS?
• Are students who receive a high school diploma through a program like the Alaska Military Youth Academy eligible for the Alaska Performance Scholarship?
• Is the child of an Alaska resident, who graduates from a high school outside of Alaska, for example due to military assignment, eligible for the APS?

Curriculum

• What does a “rigorous high school curriculum” mean?
• Is there anything I can do if my school doesn't offer enough courses to meet the curriculum requirements?

Testing and GPA

• What are the specific examination and grade-point average requirements?
• What if a student has a grade-point average qualifying for a first-level award but an examination score that qualifies for a lower award level?
• What can I do to prepare for the SAT and/or ACT?
• How can I make sure my high school gets my SAT and ACT scores?
• If I take the SAT, ACT and/or WorkKeys in the summer after I graduate high school, can I use those scores?
• I took the SAT, ACT, and/or WorkKeys multiple times. How will my scores be reported for scholarship purposes?
• Can I take the WorkKeys exam at my local Job Center for purposes of qualifying for the APS?

Using the Award

• Where can the scholarship be used?
• What costs can be covered by the scholarship?
• How are unmet costs of attendance calculated?
• Must recipients be enrolled full-time in the postsecondary institution?
• Can the Alaska Performance Scholarship award be used for study abroad or study in another state as part of an exchange program?
• Can students begin their studies out of state and then use the award later if they return to Alaska to complete their studies, and/or to go to graduate school?
• Can I take a year off before or during my postsecondary education?
• Does the scholarship expire?
• Can a student who is eligible for different levels of the APS based on the WorkKeys and the SAT/ACT requirement receive different level awards if the student pursues both a CTE certificate and a degree program?
• Can the APS be used during the summer?
• Once students receive the scholarship, what do they need to do to continue to qualify?
• I plan to take far more than the minimum credits required, and graduate with a bachelor's degree in three years instead of the usual four. Can I get all four years worth of awards in the three-year time period? 

Applying

• How does a student apply for a scholarship?
• How does the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) calculated from the FAFSA information impact my eligibility for the APS?
• Which institutions receive FAFSA data and require completion of the FAFSA to apply for the APS?
• If my selected school does not receive FAFSA data, how do I apply for an APS?
• When will students be notified they’re eligible for the scholarship?

Getting Ready

• What can families do now?
• How can I learn more about the Alaska Performance Scholarship?
• As a parent, how can I access my student's APS eligibility information?

APS and the UA Scholars Award

• What is the difference between the UA Scholars program and the Alaska Performance Scholarship?
• Can students who are UA Scholars also receive an Alaska Performance Scholarship? 

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