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USA Funds has announced the award of nearly $1.9 million in scholarships to help 1,274 low- to moderate-income students nationwide pay tuition and other higher education expenses.

USA Funds awarded $1 million to 667 first-time recipients of USA Funds Access to Education Scholarships and renewed nearly $898,000 in awards to 607 previous scholarship recipients.

“These awards provide critical financial support to students from groups underrepresented in higher education and, in some cases, make the difference in students’ being able to enroll in a college or university or complete their studies,” said Robert C. Ballard, USA Funds senior vice president, program and corporate development. “These scholarships help advance our mission of enhancing postsecondary education preparedness, access and success.”

Since 2002 USA Funds’ annual scholarship program has delivered nearly $55.5 million to 16,591 low- to moderate-income students.

The program awards $1,500 scholarships to students from households with incomes of $35,000 or less, with special consideration for students who are members of an ethnic-minority group or who have a documented physical disability. To be eligible, students must either plan to enroll or be enrolled in full- or half-time undergraduate or full-time graduate- or professional-degree coursework at an accredited two- or four-year college, university or vocational/technical school, beginning with the fall 2010 term through at least Feb. 1, 2011.

The scholarship recipients were selected based on additional factors, including the student’s past academic performance and future potential, leadership and participation in school and community activities, work experience, career and educational aspirations and goals, and any unusual personal or family circumstances.

Scholarship Management Services, a program of Scholarship America, the nation’s largest private-sector scholarship and educational support organization, administers the program on USA Funds’ behalf.

For a list of first-time scholarship recipients, visit their Web site.