Gates Foundation grants for low income
students [USA]
While enrolments in America’s colleges are increasing, the
majority of students never graduate. With large numbers working
full time to pay for college fees and a lack of institutional
support for struggling students, only about 25% of low-income
students earn any kind of postsecondary degree, experts say. The
rate for black and Latino students is lower still, at about 20%.
With this in mind, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation recently
announced it will provide nearly $70 million in grants as part of
an initiative to double the number of low-income students who earn
a college degree or vocational credential by the age of 26.
According to the Gates Foundation, doubling the numbers of
low-income students who earn a postsecondary degree or vocational
degree by age 26 would translate into an increase of about 250,000
graduates each year. The majority of the funds will go to
programmes supporting students, rather than directly to the
students themselves.
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