Welcome Vermont Legislators
The Vermont Student Assistance Corporation is unique in its scope and role. Created by the Vermont Legislature in 1965 as a public nonprofit agency, we advocate for students and their families to ensure that they have the information, the counseling and the financial aid to achieve their education goals. Today that means innovative programs, like 802Opportunity, that address our state’s workforce challenges and break down barriers to post-secondary education and training.
VSAC Services
VSAC helps families save.
- Vermont’s official 529 college savings plan, VT529, with tax-advantaged accounts that grow over time
VSAC helps families plan.
- Free college & career planning events that cover admissions, ways to pay & more
- 1-on-1 education & career counseling for students in middle schools and high schools, supported by two federal grants, GEAR UP and Talent Search
- Online tools for career exploration & planning
- For adult learners—information on career exploration, education, training & financial aid, supported by a federal grant, the Educational Opportunity Center
- Toll-free numbers so that families can always reach help: 1-800-642-3177
VSAC helps families pay.
- Free financial aid presentations at schools & other locations
- Help with understanding the many financial aid opportunities & completing financial aid forms
- Grants for Vermont residents in full-time, part-time & non-degree programs
- Scholarships for Vermont residents
- Low-cost, fixed-rate Vermont loans for students & parents—available for:
- Vermont residents attending college in Vermont, across the U.S., or internationally
- Out-of-state students attending Vermont colleges and universities
Workforce Development in Vermont
The Vermont Legislature invests millions of dollars of state and federal funding into initiatives designed to address Vermont’s workforce shortage. This funding reduces or eliminates tuition for eligible students pursuing careers in critical fields such as skilled trades, education, nursing, mental health care and more.
VSAC, in partnership with other Vermont agencies, supports students’ changing approaches to education by offering grants and interest-free forgivable loans that will help eligible students afford the degree or training they need to pursue the career they want.
- 802Opportunity — free tuition at Community College of Vermont (CCV) for students with a family income of $100,000 or less.
- Freedom & Unity — free tuition at Vermont State University (VTSU) for students with a family income of $65,000 or less.
- Advancement Grant — funding help for short-term training in a non-degree program.
- Vermont Trades Forgivable Loan Program — full tuition for qualified students enrolled in industry-recognized training and certification programs that lead to a career in select building, mechanical, industrial, transportation, or medical trades, who commit to work 1 year in Vermont for each year of award.
- Vermont Nursing Forgivable Loan Program — full tuition for qualified students enrolled in graduate level nursing courses to prepare for the American Nursing Credentialing Center competency exam for the PMHNP-BC certification, who commit to work 1 year in Vermont for each year of award.
- Vermont Nurse Faculty - full tuition for qualified students enrolled in a program that leads to a graduate degree in nursing which qualifies them to teach at a nursing school in Vermont, who commit to work full-time as a member of the nurse faculty for 1 year for each year of award.
- Vermont Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Forgivable Loan Program — full tuition for qualified students enrolled in a program that leads to a master’s degree in a mental health field including social work, mental health counseling, marriage and family therapy, psychology, community mental health counseling, clinical mental health, forensic mental health, or psychiatric mental health who commit to work one year in Vermont for each year of award.
- Vermont Dental Hygienist Forgivable Loan Programs — full tuition for qualified students enrolled in a program that leads to a dental hygienist license who commit to work one year in Vermont for each year of award.
- Vermont Dentist Forgivable Loan Program — up to $50,000 annually for qualified graduate students who have completed their first year of a dental program, and commit to work one year in Vermont for each year of award.
- Vermont National Guard Tuition Benefit Program — up to full tuition at Vermont institutions for undergraduate and graduate programs for guard members who commit to serve in the Vermont National Guard for two years for each year of funding.
- Curtis Credential of Value Scholarship — VSAC Outreach counselors nominate students enrolled in short-term certificate programs that lead to jobs/employment.
Fact Sheets, Reports, & County Data Sheets
- GEAR UP Fact Sheet — an overview of VSAC's GEAR UP college and career readiness program.
- Talent Search Fact Sheet — an overview of VSAC's Talent Search program.
- Educational Opportunity Center Fact Sheet — an overview of VSAC's Educational Opportunity Center program for adults.
- County data sheets — financial-based data with a higher education focus for the residents of each county in Vermont.
- FY2025 Advancement Grant Outcomes Report — a biannual impact survey of Advancement Grant recipients.
- 2024 VSAC Annual Report
- VSAC Legislative Guide — Quick facts for you or your constituents on VSAC programs and services.
- 802Opportunity Report — outcomes and impact of the 802Opportunity program.
- Follow Up: The Vermont High School Class of 2018 (Winter 2026) — This report examines the on-time completion rates of the Vermont high school graduates who began their postsecondary education full-time at four-year institutions in the fall of 2018.
- The Vermont High School Class of 2022 Senior Survey — VSAC has surveyed the graduating senior class for the state of Vermont for over 40 years on a biannual basis creating a wealth of data concerning the aspiration plans and rates of high school students, the continuation rate of college going students, and the 4 and 6 year graduation rate of college students.
- Vermont Senior Survey Tables -- This publication includes tables with statewide data on the plans of high school seniors after graduation for the Class of 2024.
Connect with VSAC Leaders
Scott A. Giles
President and CEO
802-654-3740
giles@vsac.org
Thomas A. Little
Vice President, General Counsel
802-654-3747
littlet@vsac.org
Patrick J. Leduc
Vice President, Chief Operating Officer
802-654-3718
leduc@vsac.org
Meghan Metzler
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
802-654-3718
metzler@vsac.org
Kirstin Boehm
Senior Director, Outreach, Research, and Development
802-542-2225
boehm@vsac.org