US program sees financial aid distributed as paycheques

A new US project is using surplus Pell Grant money as a biweekly paycheque for students. The project, called "Aid Like a Paycheck," just completed its first year as a pilot program at a California community college. While researchers say it's too early to tell if the program will encourage students to complete their degrees or hasten completion, student feedback has been positive. Students have reported that being paid to stay in school makes them take their studies more seriously, and that they have reduced hours on outside jobs, giving them more time to concentrate on school. Researchers hope this will lead to improved completion rates later on. Inside Higher Ed