A new grant program through the MSU Office of Financial Aid is easing the burden for incoming freshmen who otherwise may be unable to attend MSU. Spartan Advantage is giving students at or below the poverty level in Michigan the opportunity to start classes in the fall and graduate without any debt.

The program gives aid to eligible students through grants, scholarships and work study funds to cover the cost of tuition, fees, room and board and books.

Because the funds come from grants, students do not have to pay any of the money back and can look forward to a debt-free future, said Rick Shipman, director of the Office of Financial Aid.

"It certainly makes the world a better place for these really poor students at MSU," he said. "They can now graduate without borrowing if they choose to do that."

To see if they are eligible, students must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, to the Office of Financial Aid. Their financial criteria will automatically be reviewed to see if they qualify for additional aid and if they do, how much more they can receive.

Since the MSU Board of Trustees voted in favor of initiating Spartan Advantage at its July 17 meeting, about 320 students have been evaluated at the Office of Financial Aid and are considered eligible for the grant.

Shipman said he predicted 325 to 350 students would receive aid when the program launched. Of the 320 students, 20 qualify and have not provided further information the office requested.

Those who have given more information — about 300 — will find out how much they will get in a few days from a formal letter.

Board member Dorothy Gonzales said the idea for the program was a collaborative effort between the board and MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon.

"I think the more we can do to bring in more students that don't have to feel the financial burden is a plus," Gonzales said.

Students who did not apply for college this year may reconsider after hearing about the program, Shipman said, which could significantly increase the number of students who receive aid in the following years.

"It's scary to think there are that many poverty-level students at MSU," he said.

Each student is reviewed individually because financial situations vary, causing some students to receive more money than others, Shipman said.

Figuring out how much money is given to each student is broken down by subtracting grants and scholarships students already have from the total average cost of expenses to attend classes for the 2006-07 academic year — which is about $15,820.

From the cases Shipman has seen so far, he said most eligible students come in with about $10,000 in other grant and scholarship money. It is then up to the staff in the financial aid office to allot the remaining money to the student via work study, scholarships or grant money.

The only other university in the state offering a similar program is the University of Michigan, he said, but it is based on financial need and not on the poverty level.

"It's somewhat unusual that a school like MSU is able to make this kind of commitment," he said. "It's caught the attention of a number of people around the country."

Spartan Advantage funds come from grants the board gave to the financial aid office to increase financial aid by 8.5 percent. Shipman said this amount was more than enough to supplement financial aid, affording the opportunity for the program. More money will be added to the program during the next four years as the program progresses and its size is fully established, he said.

Students who receive Spartan Advantage money in the fall will automatically be re-evaluated for eligibility at the start of each academic year. Shipman said there are no limits to the amount of money or the number of students who can get aid via the program.

There is also no deadline for seeking aid.

"We find that a lot of needy students do not apply until they see the bill," Shipman said. "We're expecting that we're going to have some students apply for the first time within the next two months."

Shipman said it's important to have a program like this implemented because as costs rise, the number of students from various backgrounds able to attend college decreases.

"Diversity isn't just about the color of the skin or their racial-ethnic background," he said. "It's also about people who live in a different place who have a different standard of living."