The UMSL Close the Gap Grant is available for new, undergraduate students with high financial need from across the state of Missouri and select Illinois counties in the metropolitan area beginning enrollment in the spring 2022 semester and beyond. Under the program, UMSL will cover all remaining tuition costs above federal Pell Grants, subsidized loans and other aid. The amount of each grant will vary depending on the amount of other aid that the student receives and the number of credit hours in which the student enrolls.
The UMSL Close the Gap Grant is only available during the Fall and Spring semesters and is renewable up to eight semesters. New students must meet the following requirements:
- Missouri Resident or resident of certain metro counties in Illinois:
- Adams, Bond, Calhoun, Christian, Clinton, Franklin, Greene, Jackson, Jefferson, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Marion, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Perry, Pike, Randolph, Sangamon, Scott, St. Clair, Washington or Williamson
- You must complete the FAFSA by February 1* and have a SAI (New EFC) of 6656 or lower.
*For the 2024-2025 Academic Year, the FAFSA must be completed and finalized by April 1st 2024
- Accept and receive the full amount of the subsidized loans offered
- Enroll full-time (12 hours or more at UMSL)
- Have a core high school GPA of 3.0 for first-time freshmen or a cumulative GPA of 3.0 for transfer students
- Fully complete and finalize the FAFSA by February 1* each year
*For the 2024-2025 Academic Year, the FAFSA must be completed and finalized by April 1st 2024
- Accept all free funding in MyView
Renewal Criteria
To renew the UMSL Close the Gap Grant, students must meet the following criteria:
- Maintain an UMSL GPA of 2.5
- Maintain all eligibility requirements for all previously awarded UMSL scholarships, including the grant requirements above
