Silver State Opportunity Grant (SSOG)

The Silver State Opportunity Grant Program (SSOG Program) is a state-supported financial aid program created by the 2015 Legislature. The program is a need-based grant which is awarded to eligible low income students who are college-ready. This program will pay for a portion of the cost of education at one of the eligible Nevada System of Higher Education institutions.

Eligible institutions include: College of Southern Nevada, Great Basin College, Truckee Meadows Community College, Western Nevada College and Nevada State College.

Eligibility

To be eligible for an SSOG award, a student must:

  • Be enrolled in a program of study leading to a degree or certificate;
  • Enroll in at least 15 credits that apply to the student’s chosen program of study
  • Be college-ready based on placement or completion of entry-level, college-level mathematics and English*;
  • Be classified as a Nevada resident for tuition purposes;
  • Meet institutional Title IV financial aid satisfactory academic progress requirements; and
  • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of 8500 or less.

*To be considered “college-ready” for the purposes of SSOG Program eligibility, a student must be:

  1. Currently or previously enrolled in a 100 or above level mathematics and English course,
  2. Placed into a college-level course under institutional placement policies for placement into at least Math 120 and English 101, or
  3. Previously successfully completed remedial coursework (evident by a C or better in Math 096 and/or English 098).

Students who have previously earned a bachelor’s degree are not eligible for the SSOG award.

Continuing Eligibility

Students who receive and SSOG award remain eligible for future semesters providing they continue to meet Title IV Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements. However, SSOG awards are made according to program requirements on an annual basis, and maintaining eligibility is not a guarantee of receiving and SSOG award in future years. Recipients who wish to receive an award in subsequent years are encouraged to file their FAFSA and complete all additional requirements as early as possible every subsequent year of enrollment. Should a student fail to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress and lose eligibility for future semesters, there are ways to regain eligibility. For more information, visit: https://nshe.nevada.edu/system-administration/departments/asa/students/financial-aid/silver-state-opportunity-grant/

DACA Students

In order to receive the SSOF award, a student must complete the FAFSA. Students under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status may complete the FAFSA and may receive the SSOG award. While the institution will receive FAFSA data for a DACA student, the institution cannot identify if a student has DACA status or not. Therefore DACA students must self-identify to the financial aid office and provide a copy of thei I-797 in order to be considered for and SSOG award. If you are a DACA student, go to the Financial Aid Office at your institution and tell the office you want to be considered for the award.