The first year of college is often the most difficult time for students to adjust to the demands of school and remain focused on achieving their ultimate goal: earning a degree. According to the American Institutes for Research, nearly one-third of students who start college do not return for their second year.

American InterContinental University (AIU) is addressing this issue with the new AIU Milestone Grant. The one-time grant, equal to the cost of a student's first class, rewards students for passing an important educational milestone: completing their first quarter and beginning their second. The grant is designed to motivate and recognize students at a critical time in their educational journey and reflects the perspective of Complete College America and the National Governors Association that success in first-year college courses is strongly linked to overall student success.

"We know that when students make the decision to attend AIU, they are making a commitment to themselves and their future," said Dr. George Miller, president of AIU. "That's why AIU is serious about investing in our students and helping them achieve success in their first quarter as well as throughout their entire educational journey. This is an extra incentive to persevere during what can at times be a challenging transition into higher education."

Grant Qualification

All online undergraduate students (or qualifying re-entry students) beginning classes at AIU for the first time on or after Jan. 1, 2014, are eligible for the AIU Milestone Grant. To receive the grant, students must pass their first AIU class, successfully complete their first quarter of classes and return to AIU for their second quarter. There is no application or paperwork to fill out. The grant, worth up to $1,359, is awarded automatically to eligible students.

AIU offers master's, bachelor's and associate degree programs in areas including business administration, information technology and criminal justice. Each program is built around a specialized, career-focused curriculum in which students can learn from industry specialists and take more courses devoted to their field of study, on average, than at other similar schools. All of AIU is accessible through one log in and one centralized location, with a 24/7 support system available via phone, email or live chat, allowing students to learn on their own time.

Students often return to AIU for second and even third degrees. In the last 10 years, more than 80,000 students have graduated from AIU's online and ground campuses.

To learn more about the AIU Milestone Grant, visit http://www.aiuniv.edu/milestonegrant.

To learn more about AIU, visit www.aiuniv.edu.

About American InterContinental University:

Founded in Europe in 1970, American InterContinental University offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degrees in programs such as business, IT, criminal justice and education at campuses in Atlanta and Houston and an Internet-based online campus headquartered in suburban Chicago. AIU is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association. Additional information is available at www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org.

AIU is a member of the Career Education Corporation (NASDAQ:CECO) network of universities, colleges and schools. For more information, visit www.aiuniv.edu. American InterContinental University cannot guarantee employment or salary. Not all programs are available to residents of all states. Find employment rates, financial obligations and other disclosures at www.aiuniv.edu/disclosures.

1 American Institutes for Research, "Finishing the First Lap", http://www.air.org/files/AIR_Schneider_Finishing_the_First_Lap_Oct101.pdf

2 National Governors Association's Complete College America report, "Metrics that Inform Progress", http://www.completecollege.org/docs/Metrics%20that%20Inform%20Progress.pdf

AIU
Allison Mortland, 847.585.3711
AlMortland@aiuonline.edu