MADISON - Several thousand college students around the state are still awaiting word on financial aid through the need-based Wisconsin Higher Education Grant program with only about a week to go before classes start in the University of Wisconsin System. They are waiting for enactment of a new state budget, which is now in a legislative conference committee. "We expect that if there aren't any changes in the budget that the Assembly passed -- which is a little over $39 million (for the program) -- we'll have more than 6,000 students by the end of the year who would be eligible for awards but wouldn't receive them," said Connie Hutchison, executive secretary for the Higher Educational Aids Board which oversees the Wisconsin financial aid system for state residents. The board has awarded about 22,400 student grants for the coming year, ranging from $674 to $2,730. That has effectively tapped out the currently available resources. The funds are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis and anyone who applied after June 26 is thus now on a waiting list that has grown to about 3,800 students. Gov. Jim Doyle and other Democrats who control the state Senate proposed spending $50 million on the program, up from $43 million last year. But "we can't promise money if we don 't have any inkling of whether or not it's going to be there," Hutchison said. The average family income of WHEG recipients is about $27,000. Students are automatically considered for the state grants when they submit their Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Hutchison said she remains optimistic that the necessary funding will become available. (Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)