FAQs
What if I lived in a neighboring county but still graduated from an Allen County high school?
Are there minimum standards to be met?
What college or university must I attend?
Must I be attending a college in Indiana?
What degrees are eligible under this program?
If I earn an associate’s degree and then decide to pursue a bachelor’s degree, can I continue as a Questa Scholar?
Are there other requirements before you decide if I am eligible?
I have met all the documentation and other requirements. What do I do next?
How much will Questa lend me?
Where do I get the Questa Scholar’s 1/2 Back Loan Program application?
What do I need from my high school?
After I’m accepted into the Questa Scholars program, what must I do to continue to qualify for taking out additional loans each semester?
What if it takes longer than four years to complete my degree?
Do I pay interest during college?
Exactly how do I qualify for loan forgiveness…the 1/2 Back feature?
How do I qualify for the other 1/4 forgiveness and how is it applied?
How do I prove that I work and reside in northeast Indiana?
What are the counties that Questa considers northeast Indiana?
Let’s say that I graduated high school with at least a 2.75 GPA AND stay at or above 2.5 GPA while in college BUT finish with at least a 2.75 GPA—finishing in four years. If I do all of that—Questa will forgive 25 percent of my loan balance at graduation and then if I live and work in the 11 counties of NE Indiana for five years, Questa will forgive another 25 percent of the loan balance. Is that right?
Q: Who may apply for a Questa Scholar 1/2 Back Loan?
A: Three categories of students qualify to apply to become a Questa Scholar. Either this year or last year, eligible students up to the age of 21 should have:
Graduated from any Allen County high school, or
Earned an Allen County high school General Equivalency Diploma (G.E.D.) and reside in Allen County, or
Graduated from an Allen County homeschooling program.
Q: What if I lived in a neighboring county but still graduated from an Allen County high school?
A: You would qualify as a recent graduate from Allen County.
Q: Are there minimum standards to be met?
A: You must have at least a 2.75 GPA or better on a 4.0 system to be considered.
Q: What college or university must I attend?
A: Any regionally accredited school qualifies as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Proprietary schools (for-profit institutions) do not qualify.
Q: Must I attend a college in Indiana?
A: No, that is not a requirement.
Q: What degrees are eligible under this program?
A: Your first undergraduate bachelor’s degree or your first associate’s degree will qualify.
Q: If I earn an associate’s degree and then decide to pursue a bachelor’s degree, can I continue as a Questa Scholar?
A: Yes, provided you continue to meet the GPA and other required elements of the program.
Q: Are there other requirements before you decide if I am eligible?
A: Before you apply, you must have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have applied for any State assistance or private scholarships for which you are eligible including any financial support from your chosen school.
Q: I have met all the documentation and other requirements. What do I do next?
A: Submit your application to Questa between March 1 and June 10 to be considered for a Questa Scholars 1/2 Back Loan to fill the gap between what you qualify for elsewhere plus what you and your family can contribute, and the actual cost of attendance.
Q: How much will Questa lend me?
A: Selected Questa Scholars may receive 1/2 Back Loans in the range of $500 to $5,000 annually for up to four years. Loans are given up to $2,500 per semester.
Q: Where do I get the Questa Scholar’s 1/2 Back Loan Program application?
A: Application documents and other criteria are available on this website from March 1 through June 10 each year. The application process opens on March 1.
Q: What do I need from my high school?
A: You will need a certified copy of your transcript (or related documentation from G.E.D. and home-schooled applicants) plus recommendations and SAT scores (or ACT scores if the SAT was not taken).
Q: After I’m accepted into the Questa Scholars program, what must I do to continue to qualify for taking out additional loans each semester?
A: Questa Scholars 1/2 Back Loans are only intended for full-time students, enrolled for 12 credit hours or more per semester. Part-time students are not eligible to borrow. Loans are intended for fall and spring semesters or for the quarters of study from August through May. Questa Scholars 1/2 Back Loans are not available for summer terms.
Questa Scholars are expected to be present to sign their promissory notes each semester, along with a parent or guardian who must serve as a co-signer.
The Foundation will only execute new promissory notes for/with students who have submitted required documents before the start of each semester; official university transcript, official university billing statement with balance due, and proof of full-time course registration.
Approved documentation must be on file before the Foundation staff will meet with students and co-signers to execute new promissory notes.
Questa Scholars are expected to sign promissory notes prior to the start of the semester or quarter in which they intend to use the funds. Questa Scholars are required to sign promissory notes within 30 days of the start of the semester or quarter or the student is not able to borrow for that semester. This does not increase a student’s available balance for borrowing in future semesters.
Q: What if it takes longer than four years to complete my degree?
A: The Questa Scholars 1/2 Back Loan is only approved for four consecutive years defined as eight consecutive semesters. The Questa Scholars 1/2 Back Loan is not intended to go beyond the initial four years of a student's course of study. If a student does not borrow during a given semester, he or she does not “bank” these funds for future semesters. Students enrolled in degree completion programs that require more than four years of study will be invited to apply for deferment of loan repayment while they complete their additional semesters of study for the intended degree.
Q: Do I pay interest during college?
A: No, interest is deferred until 90 days after graduation.
Q: Exactly how do I qualify for loan forgiveness…the 1/2 Back feature?
A: Complete your degree work with a 2.75 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) within the allotted timeframe. That achievement qualifies for 1/4 back as soon as you receive your degree.
Q: How do I qualify for the other 1/4 forgiveness and how is it applied?
A: Live and work in northeast Indiana and send in proof of residency and employment (per guidelines) each year as instructed. Five percent per year will be forgiven for up to five years equaling 25 percent or 1/4 of the loan total at graduation.
Q: How do I prove that I work and reside in northeast Indiana?
A: Proof of residency and employment will be required in the form of a pay stub identifying the county in which you live and pay taxes.
Q: What are the counties that Questa considers northeast Indiana?
A: Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells, and Whitley.
Q: Let’s say that I graduated high school with at least a 2.75 GPA AND stay at or above 2.5 GPA while in college BUT finish with at least a 2.75 GPA—finishing in four years. If I do all of that—Questa will forgive 25 percent of my loan balance at graduation and then if I live and work in the 11 counties of northeast Indiana for five years, Questa will forgive another 25 percent of the loan balance. Is that right?
A: Yes, that is correct.