Scholarships and Grants
There are many student scholarships and grants for college out there that you can apply for. Most of the grants are need based. This means if you don’t have lots of money to contribute from your own pocket or your parents, then there is plenty of assistance for you. Many of these grants are through the Federal government so you don’t have to subject to a credit check or other factors to get the money. Scholarships on the other hand are not need based and there are many private sponsors who award them. The federal government sponsors only a few scholarships.
FAFSA First for Student Scholarships and Grants
You will need to submit the FAFSA though in order to get things moving in the right direction first. This is your financial aid information, and it can be submitted any time after January 1st. The sooner that you submit it, the faster you will find out what you qualify for in the way of grants and scholarships. Once that money is gone, it is gone so if you apply too late then you will miss out on many good grant opportunities. To complete your FAFSA, you will need to do your taxes so don’t put that off either.
Repayment not required for Scholarships and Grants
Grants are a type of funding for college that you don’t have to repay as well as scholarships. It is wise to pursue this type of money instead of funds that you will have to pay back. These scholarships and grants many times, but not always, can only be used at accredited college locations. They include technical schools, community colleges, four-year colleges, and universities.
Federal Pell Grant most Popular
As far as grants are concerned, the Federal Pell Grant is the one most people are typically eligible for. In order to qualify, you can’t have a bachelor’s degree or higher yet. The maximum amount that can be awarded annually is $5,550.
FSEOG for Exceptional Need
For those with exceptional financial need, there is the Federal Supplement Educational Opportunity Grant, known as FSEOG. The amount offered can be up to $4,000 but it depends on the financial situation and the availability of funds. Scholarships as opposed to grants have their own individual criteria which various from scholarship to scholarship per sponsor.
Grant awards Vary Depending on College
Student grants for college are based on where you plan to attend and your FAFSA. When you complete your FAFSA, include the information for all the colleges you have applied to and are considering. Then you can get information about how much you would qualify for. That information can help you to see where you should go. This method also helps in case you don’t get accepted to your first choice school. Scholarships may or may not have school restrictions and most times you can choose the college you desire if you win the award, but not always.
The Iran and Afghanistan Service Grant
The Iran and Afghanistan Service Grant is a possibility. This funding is only offered to those students who don’t qualify for a Pell grant. They also must have a parent that died during military service in one of these two locations after 09/11/01. The maximum amount is $5,500 per year.
The TEACH Grant
The TEACH Grant stands for the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education. This grant is for those in an undergraduate or graduate program for teaching. However, there are specific programs that offer the TEACH Grant and particular conditions that apply in order to be eligible. The government education website offers information about these schools so you can see if there is one you are interested in applying to.
Most Student Grants Federally Funded
Not all of these student grants though are federally funded but most of them are. It is a good idea to contact the school you plan to attend to see what types of grants they offer. These scholarships and grants are referred to as Institutional. You don’t want to pass up a terrific opportunity to apply for such funds they have available because you didn’t know about them. Most of the time, the larger a school, the more grant money they will have available in-house that students can qualify for. Make sure you check with them early too so that you won’t miss out on deadlines. Most scholarships unlike grants, are not federally funded (with an exception of a few). Larger schools may also have more scholarship money to give and it will be used up if you don’t apply earlier rather than later.
Look into Student Grants First
Always look into the various student grants for college that you may qualify for first before applying to the scholarships so you don’t miss out on school grant money, and they are passed out for that particular year. This method can help to ensure you have enough money for college to pay your tuition. You should be able to focus on your education and not be worried about how to pay for it.
Student grants scholarships are a terrific financial opportunity since you don’t have to repay either of them. The funds will go directly to the college you have decided to attend for grants. Scholarships may work this way or they may be sent directly to you. Remember, just apply for the student grants first, then scholarships secondly! Grant money will run out much faster than scholarship money.
