The University of Virginia is considering a program that would allow low-income students to pay for their education with a combination of work and grants.

UVA President John Casteen discussed the idea last week with the university's Board of Visitors.

Casteen says the proposal is worth examining as colleges work to increase student diversity by means other than race-based affirmative action.

Virginia's interest in such an approach was sparked by a program adopted by the University of North Carolina.

UNC officials say the Carolina Covenant program, to start this fall, would require eligible students to work on campus 10-12 hours a week in a federal work-study job through their four years. Federal and state grants now cover 65 percent of a student's need as determined through an application for financial aid.

Under the program, UNC would pay the remaining 35-percent of a student's college costs, provided they do their work study job.

Eligible students must come from families at or below 150-percent of the federal poverty level.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)