Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment Scholarship application now open to help students earn college credit and reduce cost of school

The Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (MDHEWD) is pleased to announce that the Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment Scholarship application is open for the fall 2026 and spring 2027 semesters. This scholarship helps eligible students cover the tuition and fees of dual credit and dual enrollment courses.

Dual credit courses are college-level courses taught by a high school instructor, while dual enrollment courses are college-level courses taught by a postsecondary faculty member. Both dual credit and dual enrollment courses allow high school students to earn high school and college credit for the course simultaneously. In Fiscal Year 2026, the scholarship covered the cost of tuition and fees for more than 2,100 students statewide - a 63 percent increase from the previous year. This resulted in an average award of over $700.

"We're proud to support Missouri students as they take meaningful steps toward their college and career goals," said Dr. Bennett Boggs, Commissioner of MDHEWD. "The Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment Scholarship provides high school students an important opportunity to earn college credit early and build academic momentum. Just as importantly, it helps reduce financial barriers, making higher education more affordable and accessible for students across the state."

Students can apply for the Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment Scholarship online through the State Financial Aid Portal. Applications for the fall 2026 semester will be accepted through December 1, 2026, while applications for the spring 2027 semester will be accepted through April 1, 2027. Students may apply for both semesters at the same time.

To be eligible for the Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment Scholarship, students must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and a Missouri resident, have a minimum unweighted 2.5 cumulative grade point average, and have otherwise met the school's requirements for taking dual credit or dual enrollment classes. Students must also meet one or more indicators of financial need, including immediate family eligible for free and reduced lunch, immediate family receiving public assistance (ex. SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, etc.), living in a foster home or in state custody, homeless (as defined by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act), or living in federal subsidized public housing.

For more information about the Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment Scholarship, including additional details surrounding eligibility requirements and possible award amounts, visit dhewd.mo.gov/ppc/grants-scholarships/dcde.