Eligibility & Requirements

Educational Talent Search (ETS) program aims to provide support and assistance to students from Gainesville High School or Gainesville Middle School East and West who meet the following requirements: 

• Student has completed the 5th grade.
• Student completed five years of elementary education or is at least 11 years of age but not more than 27 years of age. 
  • However, an individual who is more than 27 years of age may participate in a Talent Search project if the individual cannot be appropriately served by an Educational Opportunity Center project under 34 CFR part 644 and if the individual's participation would not dilute the Talent Search project's services to individuals described in paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section.
• Student has a need for academic support in order to pursue a program of postsecondary education.
• Student is one of the following:
  • a potential first-generation college student
  • a low-income individual
  • an individual who has a high risk for academic failure
• Student is enrolled in or has dropped out of any grade from six through 12, or has graduated from secondary school, or has undertaken, but is not presently enrolled in, a program of postsecondary education.

Additional requirements

• Student is a citizen or national of the United States or:
  • a citizen or national of the United States.
  • a permanent resident of the United States.
  • is in the United States for other than a temporary purpose and provides evidence from the Immigration and Naturalization Service of his or her intent to become a permanent resident.
  • a permanent resident of Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.
  • a resident of the Freely Associated States—the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Republic of Palau.
• At the time of initial selection, has completed the fifth grade and is at least 11 years old but not older than 27, although the Secretary may waive the age requirement if the applicant demonstrates that the limitation would defeat the purposes of the Educational Talent Search program. However, a veteran as defined in UB federal regulations §645.6, regardless of age, is eligible to participate in an Educational Talent Search project if he or she satisfies the eligibility requirements.