TRIO Student Support Services
The Federal TRIO Programs (TRIO) provide grants with the purpose of outreach and student services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. TRIO includes eight programs targeted to serve and assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students and individuals with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline.
Saint Peter’s University is proud to be a recipient of such grants as an institution of higher education to help our students. Specifically, the University is part of the Student Support Services (SSS) program offered by TRIO to serve and assist first generation, low-income students and students with disabilities. These particular groups have historically been underrepresented in the realm of higher education and have demonstrated lower rates of persistence and graduation compared to their non-TRIO-eligible counterparts.
What Does TRIO Support Services Do?
Our mission at TRIO Support Services (SSS) is to give these underrepresented students an EDGE (Engage, Discover, Gain Experience, Excel). We provide many services thanks to these grants, including but not limited to:
- Individual grant aid award for eligible TRIO SSS participants
- Summer Bridge Program for first-year students
- Community building activities
- Cultural events
- Professional development opportunities
- Supplemental advising for academics
- Individualized mentoring
- Loaner laptop program
- Financial aid information and literacy
- Career planning and counseling
- Individual and group tutoring
- Graduate and professional school admissions preparation
Are You Eligible for TRIO Student Support Services?
Students who are eligible to participate in TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) are required to complete and submit an application.
To determine if you are eligible to participate in TRIO SSS, consider first if you are first-generation, low-income and/or have a learning or physical disability:
- First-generation college student is defined as:
- A student whose biological or adoptive parents have not received a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.
- A student who, prior to the age of 18, regularly resided with and received support from only one parent and whose supporting parent did not receive a baccalaureate degree.
- An individual who, prior to the age of 18, did not regularly reside with or receive support from a natural or an adoptive parent.
- Individual with a disability is defined as:
- A person who has a disability, as that term is defined in section 12102 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.).
- Low-income individual is defined as:
- An individual whose family’s taxable income did not exceed 150 percent of the poverty level amount in the calendar year preceding the year in which the individual initially participated in the project.
- Please use the Federal TRIO Program Current-Year Low-Income Levels chart to determine if you are eligible as part of this category.
If you are unsure about meeting the requirements, contact the TRIO SSS by phone (201) 761-6293 or email triosss@saintpeters.edu. Check with Disability Services regarding accommodations or questions about disability status.
What Do You Need to Fill Out Your TRIO Application?
In order to accurately and efficiently review your TRIO application, please be sure to have the following available prior to filling out the application:
- If you identify as an individual with a disability, you must share documentation of a physical and/or learning disability via a doctor’s note or other documentation from someone currently treating you.
- If you identify as a low-income student, you will need to provide your family/household’s annual Taxable Income from your 2022 or 2023 tax return and number in household claimed on your last year IRS Income Tax Form including yourself.
- If you have already set up your Peacock Portal account, please upload your information there and your application will be added to the portal.