Get Started at Purdue as a Nontraditional Student
Welcome to Span Plan. We are a student support program serving nontraditional undergraduate students to reach their education goals. Providing exceptional outcomes since 1968, Dean Helen Schleman began our program and the pursuit of education equity at all stages of life. Our rich history leads to our community of over 700 active students on campus today.
Information for Students
Span Plan welcomes undergraduate nontraditional students at the West Lafayette campus to engage with our program and student networks. Whether looking to connect to other nontraditional students, gain access to academic tools and scholarship aid, or just have general questions, we are here to support your education journey. If you are considering your next moves as a nontraditional student, we encourage you to contact Span Plan Director Keara Ludiker for assistance. We are working to create a survey to automate this process, and expect it to be ready in the coming weeks.
As a student you are not required to be part of Span Plan and there is no cost to be part of our student community. We'll be here when you need us!
Whether you are starting with college credit or this is your first time attending college, the following resources will help you gather information and get started. If you have college credit you plan to transfer in, you will want to click here. If you have had a break from high school to college, you will click here for application information and more specifics on high school requirements.
Span Plan offers several academic scholarships for nontraditional undergraduate students as well as a childcare scholarship for our parenting students. The Span Plan Academic Scholarship application is due July 1 each year and the Childcare Assistance Scholarship is available each semester for our Span Plan students.
Indiana residents are encouraged to review their eligibility for the state's Adult Student Grant. If not an Indiana resident, please check with your state to determine if any grants exist that may be used for education outside of your state.
Looking for more scholarship resources? Scholarship Universe is Purdue’s resource for many departmental scholarships as well as outside scholarships. Additionally, check out our resource page to find more scholarship opportunities for nontraditional students!
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) should be completed as quickly as possible when considering attendance at Purdue University. Purdue has a FAFSA filing priority date of March 1 each year (for both new and returning students). The Division of Financial Aid is a good place to visit to access their net price calculator, apply for campus wide scholarships, policies, and additional deadlines.
Resources for Nontraditional Students
Span Plan is dedicated to fostering an environment that empowers undergraduate nontraditional students to navigate their unique educational path.
Childcare Assistance Scholarships
The Childcare Assistance Scholarship was established to support undergraduate parenting students are the Purdue University, West Lafayette campus and childcare costs. Scholarships are available prior to each semester and do require a completed FAFSA.
Span Plan Parenting Support Group
We are stronger through our support networks. You are invited to join our Span Plan Parenting Student Group to meet other parents, share experiences and grow your community.
Purdue provides over 40 locations across campus for students to use. We would be happy to walk you through those options and help access the locations that will work best with your academic schedule. Please reach out to email@example.com or call 765-494-5860 to set-up an appointment or schedule a campus walk.
- Campus Child Care Facilities
- Indiana Childcare Finder
- Child Care and Development Fund
- Paths to Quality
- The Child Care Resource Network
- Bauer Family Resources
For parenting students that bring their children to campus, a map of chaging stations with location designation may be helpful. Below is a map of changing spaces around the West Lafayette campus that includes building and room numbers to help you find a location that works best for you!
Transfer students beginning at the Purdue University West Lafayette campus at age 23 or older are invited to join our Span Plan community. The following resources are provided to assist you as you gather information to become a Boilermaker.
Your journey begins with the Office of Admissions where you will find all of the information for students wishing to transfer to Purdue University. Please note, for consideration as a transfer student, you must have successfully completed at least 12 semester credit hours of college-level coursework. Additional information about this requirement and other useful resources can be found at the link provided earlier.
Not sure about which credits will transfer? The Transfer Credit Course Equivalency Guide provides course equivalency at Purdue for your specific courses and the possible courses your credit may be used for. This is a good tool if you are not quite sure about your major. You may want to consider using the plan of study for your desired major to best understand what your completed versus outstanding classes may look like when transferring to Purdue.
Students that are married when beginning at Purdue University, West Lafayette campus or become married are invited to join our Span Plan community. The following resources are provided to assist in your path to becoming a Boilermaker. Additionally, for those student that are married while students, we will provide you with contacts and things to consider as a married student.
All paths begin with undergraduate admissions.
Newly Married Students
Please note: If you are filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), your new marital status may impact your filing status and aid eligibility.!
We are excited for you to fulfill your academic goals after a 2+ year delayed enrollment after high school. Whether two or twenty years since your last enrollment, Span Plan is here to support you on your journey and introduce you to a community of your peers. Be ready to learn, grow, and succeed in your new college student role!
All paths begin with undergraduate admissions, where you will be able to explore all that Purdue University has to offer.
If you have been out of high school for at least five years and your high school record is missing either Purdue's high school course requirements or grades, you are encouraged to review Purdue's community college roadmap to help you prepare to apply as a transfer student.
Span Plan determines financial independence based on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students that file their FAFSA with a status of Independent are considered nontraditional at Purdue University, West Lafayette. Students less than 24 years old are typically Dependent for the FAFSA, but there are instances where a student under that age would be considered independent.
Span Plan continues to provide dynamic programs and financial support for nontraditional students because of the generosity of individuals that feel strongly that education does not just follow one path. If you are thinking about giving to Span Plan, your gift can be directed to three different areas of need; Span Plan general fund for programming and operating funds, Span Plan Scholarship for general academic scholarship support or the Parent Support Fund to assist with childcare scholarships to offset those fees for Span Plan students.
If you would like to keep up with Span Plan events and news, we invite you to sign up for our newsletter developed for friends of the program. You'll receive updates 3-4 times each year that highlight students, initiatives and updates.
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