Financial Aid for College Students - Grants

[jeffrey]

By Max Stein

The bad news about attending college is that it costs more than ever to attend. The College Board estimates the average four-year public college costs almost $5,000 per year to attend and a two-year public college is almost $2000. And that’s not counting the skyrocketing cost of textbooks or other class fees. The good news is there is more than $105 billion dollars available in student financial aid. Some of this money is available for free…in the form of college grants.

While there are many options to consider financing your college education, this article will discuss specifically grants for college.

The most common form of Federal grant money is the Pell Grant. The amount awarded is based on your financial need and it is for undergraduate study only. Pell Grants can be awarded to part-time students. The maximum amount of a Pell Grant is $3000 per year and it can be combined with other grants or financial aid.

Another common federal grant is the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant or SEOG. Like the Pell Grant, the SEOG is awarded based on financial need and is for undergraduate study. This grant can be combined with other school grants or financial aid, but the cap is $1000 per year.

Colleges and Universities often provide their own grants for students. The amount of the school grant varies, but they do take into consideration a number of factors in issuing these types of grants including: financial need, grades, merit or program of study. Please check with the college you’ve been accepted to for more information.

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To be considered for any of these types of grants for college, you must complete a financial aid form known as the FAFSA. Your college will help you with this process and you can get information online. There are time deadlines in completing this application, so be sure to take that into consideration when planning your education.

Even though college costs are trending upward, there are many financial aid options for students. College grants are one of the best options since they don’t need to be repaid, however, not everyone qualifies for them. Complete a FAFSA application to determine whether you can qualify for a college grant.

top-colleges.com

fafsa.ed.gov

___________________________________

Max Stein is a freelance writer who writes about business, education and marketing. Contact him at maxstein_9@hotmail.com

What do you think? degreesource.blogspot.com

[BaseballDad]

Those are great, my son is going to be 1st year college student. We're looking into that. Thanks.

[bizmanbob]

You should look into a pell grant.

[ScrimpAndSave]

Very useful information...thanks so much!

[cicy33]

I tried the pell grant thing. a single woman (I am now) making $30,000 a year does not qualify for a pell grant.

[nmboone]

A Pell Grant is pretty much the only reason I'm getting a degree, not to mention two associate degrees two years ago. They're good stuff if you qualify, though it's a small amount of money. Here's a fun fact: the guy who created them died a few days ago at the age of 90. Mr. Pell was a good man.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Cicy33, if you are newly divorced, you may have had to apply based on the combined income of yourself and your ex-spouse because the FFSA uses the last tax return info. If you reapply in the first year in which you are single, you might get approved for a Pell Grant. I think Pell Grants are not based only on what you make, but also on how much your school costs. Of course, the maximum Pell grant tops out quickly in relation to tuition. The grant amounts were last structured at a time when tuitions were lower. If it is an inexpensive school you are looking at, I would not be surprised if there is no Pell grant there for a single person with $30,000 income.

[Barkri12]

However people miss out these grants for their lack of information about it as
Government does not publicize on TV, or any means of communication or the media.
Government Grants are a type of student aid that they are being awarded to the
students on the basis of their needs. The needs of the students are summed up by
the 'Federal Aid program' and on the base of this they are paid the grants.

[schoust]

Hello,
My Wife is a working Mom that was recently laid off from work so we decided that the very best thing to do for her was to go back to school and get a degree. We went through the Fafsa process and were told that Pell Grants and any type of Money's that are available would be looked at and we would be informed as to whether or not we would get the grant. Well today my Wife was told that she would only be eligible for a student loan and we would have to bare the whole brunt of the Bill? I am very confused here why were we not able to get any grants? I don't make much and my wife is out of work and we have three young children?? Can anyone tell me just were she went wrong in the application process??
Thanks

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Getting turned down for a Pell grant doesn't necessarily mean that she did anything wrong in filling out the application. The best answer to your question will likely come from the financial aid office at the school. Probably between the two of you there was too much income last year in order to qualify for a Pell Grant. If she qualified for subsidized government-secured lower rate loans that is the next best thing to a grant.

[LuxLiving]

Pell grants aren't the only ones out there either. Is she part of a minority? former military?

Have you googled "college grants / scholarships women"?

Here's one place that gives you a start at looking at the many options out there. You guys might have to hustle to find something, but there's likely some help available to you.

101 College Grants You've Never Heard Of

Look at your state's education website or talk to your unemployment advisor, or even your state representatives - in our state many out of work people are being retrained at lower costs, it's a matter of tapping into the programs.

Hubster's old boss is getting ALL of his tution paid for a short-term retraining.

[schoust]

Joan to answer the question yes she has qualified for the Government loan's and yes we will be going this route. And yes I have checked everything there is that we might qualify for on the Net and it seems as though we are to rich Lol!
Frankly I really don't understand I have three kids and my wife has no job and I am a mere tradesman,I do Ok but there isn't much leftover so that I can be stashing away for College and or retirement. I would have thought that Obama would have been kind to a Women that was a former stay at home Mom that wants to better herself by going back to school to become a Teacher.
I was sadly mistaken the money (stimulus) will go to those more deserving.....If I sound a bit bitter I am! Me and My kids will be paying dearly for the stimulus for a Very Very long time.....
R

[miagrant]

There are also some big organizations that provide this scholarship grants but the government grant the best. No need to pay back.

[fifocoralsea]

Nice article and a very sublime information about financial solutions for college students.