Our Mission:
We advocate for and support Iowans as they explore, finance and complete educational opportunities beyond high school to increase family and community success.
Our Motto:
Because college changes everything.
Our Vision:
All Iowans can achieve an education beyond high school.
Iowa College Aid Administers:
- 12 scholarship, grant and loan forgiveness programs totaling more than $68 million annually
- 5 community- and school-based initiatives to build a college-going culture throughout the state
Our Values
- Put students first
- Respect and honor the dignity of each other and all those we serve
- Uphold the public trust
- Create and nurture internal and external partnerships that benefit our customers
- Provide services to our customers that exceed expectations and address their changing needs
- Develop and empower a motivated, compassionate, professional and accountable team
- Utilize evidence-based decision-making
- Strive to improve internal and external communication and increase transparency
What We Do
We help make college possible for all Iowans by...
- Working to remove barriers so that any Iowan can achieve an education
- Providing Iowans with tools and information to plan, prepare and complete education after high school
How We Do It
We provide programs and resources to help Iowans succeed by...
- Making more than 25,000 financial aid awards each year to students from all 99 Iowa counties
- Engaging schools and communities to increase college access
- Building statewide support of initiatives that help Iowans stay in the education pipeline through degree or credential completion, preparing them for tomorrow’s careers
- Serving as a trusted resource of postsecondary education data for state policymakers
Why We Do It
We help Iowans advance and succeed, which helps Iowa grow.
- A college degree or credential means higher earnings and improved career opportunities.
- An educated workforce grows the economies of our communities and our state.
- Iowa’s continued growth comes from strengthening our talent pipelines.
Strategic Goals
- Be a trusted source of information for higher education stakeholders (such as policymakers, high school and college administrators, media and researchers) on postsecondary education access, affordability, success and completion.
- Align programs and services with the postsecondary needs of Iowa residents and key stakeholders.
- Increase and align resources to support agency programs and services.
History
Created in 1963 by the Iowa General Assembly, the Iowa College Student Aid Commission (Iowa College Aid) has served as the State of Iowa’s student financial aid agency for over 50 years. Originally established to implement federal assistance for construction of academic facilities, the agency has evolved in its responsibilities and has broadened its scope to help make college possible for all Iowans.