MADISON, Wis. -- Gov. Jim Doyle said Monday that students who complete the Wisconsin Covenant will be eligible for grants between $250 and $2,500 for their first two years in college.

The grants will help students who commit to the Covenant program, which asks young people to pledge to get good grades in high school and graduate for guaranteed admission to a University of Wisconsin college or university.

Doyle said Covenant scholars will be eligible for additional aid during their final two years of college, but the specific dollar figures haven't been determined. The level of aid will be determined by family income, but all students will be eligible for at least $250.

"I don't want any young person in this state believing that they cannot get into college because it somehow is out of their reach," said Doyle, at a news conference on Monday afternoon.

For some students, that reach is limited by money, such as tuition for UW-Madison thathas topped $8,000 a year and financial aid struggles to keep up.

"Today, I am pleased to announce an administrative rule that helps every student who answers the Wisconsin Covenant challenge afford a higher education," said Doyle.

As part of the program, eighth-grade students agreeing to get a B-average, graduate, take prep classes and be a good citizen will now not only get guaranteed entry into a state school, but will get a grant from $250 to $2,500 a year on top of their state and federal financial aid, WISC-TV reported.

The four years of grants is a key difference from a December proposal by his administration, which would have limited aid to two years and was quickly shelved.

Kevin Reilly, president of the UW System, praised Doyle's effort.

"In too many cases, concerns about college costs might shut down the dream before it ever gets started," he said. "That would be very unfortunate and that's why I'm so pleased to hear the information the governor just shared."

While the amounts won't be enough to cover an $8,000 college tuition bill, university officials and the governor said that with financial aid it could.

"We're not here to replace state and federal financial aid with the Covenant. We're here to supplement it," said Doyle.

The grant amounts will be based on need, and will be awarded for the first two years. The second two years students will also be eligible for grants, but the amount is to be determined. They'll get whatever is left from the state's $25 million appropriation for each Covenant class.

Republican candidates for governor have expressed concern about the program, but Doyle said he thought it would be hard for another candidate to "pull the rug out from under these students" given the annual appropriation created by the Legislature.