Grants for Police Officers Going To College – Are there grants or other forms of financial aid for police officers going to college available? As you know, the Police Department is a place where many different skills are combined; hence polishing them by pursuing a degree in college will certainly help the performance of the police men/women.
There are many college education departments that are closely related to police career, including psychology, sociology, criminology, accounting, etc. Professionals with these kinds of skills will be a great resource for the Police Department.
Getting financial aid such as grants for going to college is certainly a nice option; but grant opportunities usually knocks on the door of needy people coming from low-income families to help them get out of the terrible financial condition through education. Meanwhile, the annual salary for police officers is pretty well beyond the minimum wage, so grants may not be your best option.
Instead, we highly recommend you to search for scholarships to help you cover the cost of college education. Previously we’ve had the Police Corps Scholarship program, which has been discontinued temporarily due to the slowing recruitment efforts of the Police Department. The scholarship was pretty generous, but it’s time to look for other sources of free money for police officers going to college education. Listed below are some of your options:
Some Options of Grants for Police Officers Going To College
Here are some grants available for police officers to continue their college:
State Police Association
Now that the Police Corps Scholarship program is temporarily unavailable, the best bet would be going to your state’s Police Association. There may be some kind of program that can help you get the education you need. For example, the Wisconsin Professional Police Association offers the WPPA scholarship program (http://wppa.com/resources/scholarship-program/) for those pursuing law enforcement programs. Since this is a state-specific program, the policy may differ in one state to another.
Some offer benefits for the general population who are interested in making law enforcement as a career, other emphasize the benefits for the children or descendants of police officials, etc. Just give it a shot, even if you don’t get what you want it is more than likely that they have good information about what you’re looking for.
Universities
There are numerous universities and colleges offering financial assistance for police officers going to college. These programs are usually aimed to strengthen the ability of law enforcement personnel so that they can serve the community better. Some of the colleges offering the similar program are the Loyola University in New Orleans, University Of Louisville, Idaho State University and Western Illinois University. If these colleges are outside your area, you may want to ask the university near you about the opportunity.
Other Organization
Aside of the Police Association, there are other police-related organizations that may be able to help you pursuing the degree. Usually they are race-based or gender-based. Some good examples are the Women in Law Enforcement Scholarships and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (http://noblenational.org/). Since these are nonprofit organizations, the funding may be limited.
2024-2025 Grants for Police Officers to Go College
If you are a police officer and you have a plan to continue education, here are some grants available:
Child Survivor Grant Program for Public Safety Officers and Employees
Are you a college student in Missouri and a public safety officer disabled while working? Or are you the child or spouse of a public employee who was killed or disabled while on duty? If so, you can apply for the Child Survivor Grant Program. This program helps Missouri college students under 24 who have been disabled themselves or have a family member who was killed or disabled on the job.
The Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development runs this program to support public employees and their families facing difficult times. Every year, the Department gives out funds to help cover part of the tuition costs at Missouri colleges and universities. If your family has been affected by a line-of-duty death or disability, you might qualify for this grant.
Eligibility Information
Relatives of public safety officers who got injured or lost their lives while working can apply for this scholarship. Public safety officers who were injured while on duty can also apply. To be eligible, applicants must be full-time undergraduate students at Missouri colleges or universities and meet these requirements:
- Grade Level: High school seniors and college students
- Citizenship: U.S. citizens or permanent residents
- Academic Interest: Law enforcement or fire science/firefighting
- Other Category: Disability
- State: Missouri
- Miscellaneous: Applicants must be related to a public safety officer or be a public safety officer themselves.
- To apply for the scholarship, students need to fill out an online application and include your essay.
North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association Scholarship
The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association started the Criminal Justice Scholarship Program to help students who are either children of law enforcement officers or are studying criminal justice and want to work in law enforcement. Applicants must live in North Carolina and be taking at least 12 credit hours in a criminal justice undergraduate program at one of The University of North Carolina schools or North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities.
To apply, students must get a recommendation from their local sheriff and fill out and send in an application form.. If you live in North Carolina and want to help keep people safe, we encourage you to apply! Keep reading to find out more!
The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association represents all 100 Sheriffs in the state. The Association supports Sheriffs get higher quality law enforcement services, especially for North Carolinians. This scholarship is open to students who meet the following criteria:
- Grade Level: College Students
- Academic Interest: Law Enforcement, Criminal Justice
- State: North Carolina
- Applicants must be related to a Public Safety Officer
- To apply for this scholarship, submit your Letter of Recommendation
New York State ENA September 11 Scholarship Fund
The New York State Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) offers the September 11 Scholarship Fund to rescue workers like pre-hospital care providers, firefighters, and police officers. Each year, two top applicants receive $2,500 each.
To apply, you need proof of acceptance into an accredited nursing program and at least one year of pre-hospital work experience. You don’t need to be an ENA member, but you must include a reference letter from a current ENA member. This scholarship is a great chance to further your education and career in nursing. Read on to find out more!
The New York State Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) is a non-profit group that supports emergency nurses and their patients in New York. It is part of the national Emergency Nurses Association and was the first state to join the national organization. Here is the following criteria to apply for this scholarship:
- Grade Level: College Students
- Minimum GPA: 3.0
- Academic Interests: Fire Science/Firefighting, Law Enforcement, Healthcare, Nursing
- Miscellaneous Requirements: Applicants must be rescue workers with at least one year of pre-hospital work experience.
- To apply for the scholarship, submit your proof of enrollment and letters of recommendation
So as you can see, although getting grants are quite difficult you can always search for scholarships for police officers going to college.
References:
- Scholarships for Law Enforcement Students – http://www.collegescholarships.org/scholarships/law-enforcement.htm
- 10 Scholarships and Awards for Criminal Justice Majors – http://criminaljusticeonlineblog.com/07/10-scholarships-and-awards-for-criminal-justice-majors/
- Image: blogs.christianpost.com
- (https://scholarships360.org/scholarships/search/public-safety-officer-or-employees-child-survivor-grant-program/)
- (https://scholarships360.org/scholarships/search/north-carolina-sheriffs-association-undergraduate-criminal-justice-scholarship/)
- (https://scholarships360.org/scholarships/search/new-york-state-ena-september-11-scholarship-fund/)
