Indiana Commission for Higher Education

Indiana Commission for Higher Education oversees a broad statewide higher-education agenda in Indiana that spans academic affairs, budget and finance, data and research, adult strategy, student success initiatives, policy, and state financial aid resources. Its work reaches students, families, schools, colleges, and universities across the state through programs, guidance, reporting, and online services tied to college access, affordability, and completion. The Commission’s financial-aid portfolio includes named state programs such as the Mitch Daniels Early Graduation Scholarship, a one-time $4,000 award for students who graduate from a publicly supported Indiana high school at least one year early. That program illustrates the agency’s role in setting eligibility standards, defining timelines, and coordinating with other state entities. For this scholarship, the Commission requires Indiana residency and legal settlement in the state for at least the last two semesters before high school graduation, attendance at a publicly supported high school on a full-time equivalency basis for those same final two semesters, completion of at least a Core 40 diploma by the end of grade 11, and enrollment as a full-time, degree-seeking student at an eligible institution by the fall term immediately following graduation. The scholarship may be applied to tuition and fees, with remaining funds remitted to the student, and it cannot be used for remedial coursework. Beyond this single award, the Commission’s structure shows a statewide mission that connects financial aid administration with academic policy, institutional oversight, student success efforts such as 21st Century Scholars and Next Level Jobs, and public-facing resources including ScholarTrack, counselor guidance, and higher-education reports. The organization operates as a central Indiana state government body shaping how residents prepare for, finance, and move through postsecondary education.