A record number of Hoosier students have joined Indiana’s 21st Century Scholars program, more than doubling enrollment for the 2027 and 2028 cohorts, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education announced Thursday.
More than 90,000 students have joined the program — a statewide grant program that funds lower income student attendance at two- and four-year schools — after a 2023 law allowed qualifying students to be automatically enrolled.
“This legislative change has allowed us to realize the ideals of the 21st Century Scholars Program even more fully — the promise that if your family is low income but you work hard at school, you can attain a debt-free college education and secure a better life for yourself and your family,” said Rep. Earl Harris, D-East Chicago, who authored the automatic enrollment legislation.
In the 2028 cohort, more than 50,000 students were initially enrolled, according to CHE. Nearly 46,000 students have additionally enrolled in the 2027 cohort.
State officials said enrollment ranged from 16,000 to 19,000 students per cohort in years prior.
The scholarship fund, created in 1990, covers full tuition and fees at Indiana colleges and universities for low-income students, who enroll in the 8th grade. Lawmakers will have to fund the scholarships in future budgets.
Students who are income-eligible for the National School Lunch Program are automatically enrolled in 21st Century Scholars. They must still meet subsequent requirements but can opt out at any time.
Scholars had an 81% graduation rate in 2021, compared to 30% of their non-scholar, low-income peers, CHE noted. More than 50,000 collegiate degrees have been earned by recipients since the program’s inception.
“As the 2027 and 2028 program cohorts move toward high school graduation and college enrollment, I can’t wait to see what these students do in their careers and in our state,” Harris’ statement continued. “The success of 21st Century Scholars shows us that closing the achievement gap for low-income and minority students is possible if the state and state legislature are willing to get it done. I look forward to working on more bipartisan, commonsense education solutions for our state.”
By Casey Smith — The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization that covers state government, policy and elections.
