Choose Ohio First FY27
Limited submissionForecasted
Choose Ohio First FY27 supports institutions’ STEM scholarship programs, connecting student recruitment, completion support, and work-based learning to prepare graduates for Ohio’s workforce.
Funder: Ohio Department of Higher Education
Due Dates (Anticipated): October 2027 (Proposal submission) | October 2027 (Extended deadline: additional proposals and supporting materials)
Funding Amounts: FY27: up to $26.1 million total; no set institutional request maximum; four-year awards with a 1:1 match
Summary: Choose Ohio First supports institutional STEM scholarship programs that increase enrollment, credential completion, and entry into Ohio’s workforce.
Key Information: Every scholarship recipient must participate in work-based learning.
Description
Choose Ohio First (COF), administered by the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE), is Ohio’s signature STEM scholarship program. It funds institutions to recruit and support Ohio residents pursuing eligible STEM degrees and credentials and to increase the number of qualified STEM teachers at K–12 and collegiate levels. Institutions are expected to connect scholarships with recruitment, student support, completion strategies, and meaningful work-based learning, including co-ops, internships, laboratory research, clinicals, and student teaching.
Additional consideration goes to proposals connected to regional economic strengths, JobsOhio target sectors, and workforce needs identified by JobsOhio or the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation. Priorities include linking students with Ohio employers filling critical jobs or offering strong wages and preparing graduates for permanent employment in Ohio.
