Connecticut college grants run mainly through the Roberta B. Willis Scholarship Program, administered by the Connecticut Office of Higher Education (OHE). It has two parts: a need-and-merit scholarship for top students, which requires a high school counselor’s application and a FAFSA filed by February 15, and a need-based grant that needs only the FAFSA. Both are for Connecticut students attending college in Connecticut.
The two parts have different rules, amounts and deadlines, so it is worth knowing which you are aiming for.
Roberta B. Willis need-and-merit scholarship
OHE says awards are “based on their allowable federal Student Aid Index (SAI) and academic merit” (OHE, Connecticut Student Aid Programs). To be considered you must be:
- A high school senior in the top 20th percentile of your junior-year class, or a college undergraduate in the top 20th percentile of your senior-year high school class.
- Holding a combined SAT of 1200 or higher or an ACT of 25 or higher (OHE’s wording is “and/or” alongside class rank).
- Showing an SAI at or below the cutoff OHE sets for that academic year.
OHE lists the award as “up to $5,250 a year for a four-year program and up to $4,650 a year for a two-year program.” The page does not state the award year for those maximums.
How to apply for the need-merit award
This is the part families miss: you cannot apply yourself. OHE says your high school counselor must submit the application on your behalf, and you must file the FAFSA “by February 15th of the year prior to the academic award year.” For a senior starting college in fall 2027, that means the 2027-28 FAFSA, filed by February 15, 2027.
- Ask your school counselor in the fall of senior year whether you meet the class rank and test criteria and whether the school will submit you.
- File the 2027-28 FAFSA well before February 15. Our guide on how to fill out the FAFSA covers each section.
- List the Connecticut colleges you are considering.
Roberta B. Willis need-based grant
The need-based grant uses your SAI and is for Connecticut students attending a four-year public or nonprofit private college in the state. OHE says “There is no application for this program” beyond the FAFSA, and lists the award as “up to $4,500 for full-time study in a two or four-year program of study.”
There is no statewide deadline. OHE tells students to “contact your college financial aid office for filing deadlines.” Because the college packages the grant, the college’s priority date is the one to meet. Our FAFSA deadlines guide explains how to line those dates up.
The two Willis awards side by side
| Need-and-merit scholarship | Need-based grant | |
|---|---|---|
| Basis | SAI plus top 20% class rank and SAT 1200 / ACT 25 | SAI |
| Maximum listed by OHE | Up to $5,250 (four-year), $4,650 (two-year) a year | Up to $4,500 full time |
| Application | Counselor submits; you file FAFSA | FAFSA only |
| Deadline | FAFSA by February 15 before the award year | Set by your college |
| Where used | Connecticut colleges | Connecticut four-year public or nonprofit private colleges (per OHE) |
OHE’s terms and conditions for the program are in a PDF linked from the student aid page. Read it before you accept an award, especially the rules on enrollment and renewal.
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Why Connecticut amounts can change
OHE sets the need-merit SAI cutoff for each academic year, and the maximums above are ceilings rather than set amounts. That means the cutoff and the actual amount you receive can differ from the maximums above. Use the maximums to plan, not to budget to the dollar, and wait for your college’s aid offer for the real figure.
Your Connecticut aid checklist
- Fall of senior year: ask your counselor about the need-and-merit nomination.
- File the 2027-28 FAFSA early, and no later than February 15, 2027 if you hope for need-merit.
- Check each Connecticut college’s FAFSA priority date for the need-based grant.
- Look up each college’s own scholarship deadlines, which may require a separate application.
- Read OHE’s Willis terms and conditions once you are offered an award.
- Answer verification requests from your college quickly.
How Connecticut aid fits with federal aid
Your FAFSA also decides your eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant, and colleges package Willis awards together with Pell. One federal change to know: for award years beginning on or after July 1, 2026, a student whose non-federal aid equals or exceeds the cost of attendance is not eligible for Pell, according to a June 4, 2026 Federal Student Aid electronic announcement. For most students this changes nothing, because cost of attendance includes housing, food and books.
You can estimate your SAI before you file with Federal Student Aid’s Federal Student Aid Estimator, which OHE links from its own page. A rough SAI tells you whether you are likely to fall under a Willis cutoff.
Questions Connecticut families ask
Can I use a Willis award at a college outside Connecticut?
No. OHE describes the program as aid for Connecticut students at Connecticut institutions. A student leaving the state should look at federal aid and that college’s own grants.
I’m already in college. Is it too late for need-merit?
OHE’s criteria include college undergraduates who were in the top 20th percentile of their senior-year high school class, so current students can be eligible. The February 15 FAFSA deadline before the award year still applies.
My family’s income dropped. What can I do?
The FAFSA uses tax information from an earlier year. Ask your college’s financial aid office about a professional judgment review, with documents showing the change, such as a layoff notice. The office can adjust the data used for your aid but is not required to.
Does the need-based grant work at a community college?
OHE describes the need-based grant as for Connecticut students at four-year public or nonprofit private colleges in the state. Community college students should ask their campus aid office which state and college grants they can receive.
Where to go next
Compare Connecticut with other states in our guide to state grants for college, and look for awards that stack on top with our free scholarship finder. The single most important Connecticut date for a senior is February 15, 2027, the need-merit FAFSA deadline for the 2027-28 year.