Popular Federal Grants for College

A huge part of the “American Dream” has always been to send your children to college and even to this day, a college education is almost a necessity if you stand a chance of competing in a highly technological society.

Unfortunately, the economy has fallen into a state of crisis, which has made it much more difficult for many families to afford sending their children to college – most available funds are now being used for more immediate expenses.

These days, our youth generally delays going to college, in order to first accumulate enough money to cover the high cost of tuition, books, housing and other assorted fees associated with getting a degree.

Statistics show that this could be a major mistake in that, once delayed, many young people simply never enroll once they enter the workforce and start building a life, with or without a family.

Anyone contemplating higher education after high school should know that there are federal grants for college available to cover a good portion of undergraduate tuition to be used at colleges, universities and technical schools.

There are also a number of other ways to qualify for educational financing, some of which are state based grants and scholarships, socioeconomic grants and even corporate grants and awards which you may want to investigate.

The point is, there is no reason to fore go a college education based on finances with so many federal grants for college, state grants and awards and corporate grants available to you.

A Brief Look at Federal Grants for College

Many federal grants for college are needs based grants and the amount awarded varies depending on the student or the student’s family income. However, there are also federal grants for college which are not based on needs but rather on meeting certain criteria or being part of a specific educational degree program.

For needs based grants such as the Pell Grant, the starting point is the timely submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which is available online or at the college or university you plan to attend.

It is imperative that you know the deadlines for the FAFSA submission because federal grants for college may be delayed if the application is not received on or before the deadline.

Don’t Pass Go – The Pell Grant

As mentioned, many federal grants for college are needs based grants and some of them are based on being able to qualify for the Pell Grant. This particular grant is awarded annually to students who can demonstrate a financial need (low income) and have not yet achieved a Bachelor’s Degree.

This is the most popular federal grant and the first grant you should consider applying for. In fact, the next grant to be discussed, the FSEOG, is only available to Pell Grant recipients.

Extra Help Is on the Way – the FSEOG

For students who can display extreme financial need, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is also available once you qualify for the Pell Grant. Although statistics are not yet in for the 2011 school year, in 2010 the government awarded almost $960 million through this program to more than 1 million students.

The amounts awarded ranged between $100 and $4,000 for that year with the average award being $736. If you are in extreme financial need, don’t forget to apply for the FSEOG.

Recognizing the Shortage of Teachers so TEACH

This may be one of the least publicized federal grants for college and higher education.

The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant (TEACH) is available to both undergraduate and first two years of graduate students who are willing to make a commitment to teach in schools, public or private, in communities with a largely socioeconomic disadvantaged population.

Recipients must agree to spend a minimum of two years teaching in these less advantaged communities and the grant provides up to $4,000 per academic year.

Federal Grants for College to Provide Nurses

Nursing grants are available through the United States Department of health and Human Services which is a division within the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

Some grants are available for financially disadvantaged nursing students in the form of scholarships while other federal school grants are awarded to students attending recognized educational institutions in return for a commitment to serve two years in medically under served communities throughout the U.S.

An interesting side note here is that this type of federal grant is also available to med students with their sights set on becoming doctors. It bears looking into if you are a prospective med student.

Iraq and Afghanistan Service College Grant

Of all the federal school grants available, this is the one we wish never needed to be awarded.

In 2010, on July 1, the Higher Education Opportunity Act was amended to include what is known as the Iraq and Afghanistan Service College Grant that is awarded to children who lost parents in the Iraq or Afghanistan wars after September 11, 2001. This award entitles students to receive the maximum Pell Grant dollar amount.

If these students fail to meet the requirements for the Pell Grant they will still receive the maximum amount under the Iraq and Afghanistan Service college grant. It is just one small way in which America honors those who died in the line of duty in those two wars.

State Based Financial Aid and Merit Based Awards

Although there are a number of federal school grants available, many states also have financial aid based on need which is similar to the Pell Grant. Other states, such as Georgia provide merit based grants like the HOPE scholarship which is available to any student who maintains a certain GPA and meets residency requirements.

California has the CAL Grant program which, at last glance, will provide over $12,000 to students who meet the low income requirements. Texas also has a program where students have both a financial need and the required prerequisites for college enrollment.

This program is aptly entitled TEXAS, Towards EXcellence, Access and Success. Many other states also have similar grants and scholarships so don’t forget to check out what is available in your state.

With the wide range of federal grants for college, no one should fore go a college education based on financial need. The place to start is with the submission of the FAFSA and the next step is to apply for the Pell Grant and the FSEOG.

After that, there are a number of other federal school grants available, state grants and scholarships as well as corporate grants, which we haven’t discussed but are widely available to those students with the willingness to do a bit of investigative work.

If you are intent on a college degree, money should not be a factor. Federal grants for college are available – it’s up to you to find them! Begin with the information provided here and you should be off to a good start.