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Federal Pell Grants
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Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants
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Other Federal Grants
The single largest grant program is the Pell Grant
which provided almost 4 million students with grant aid in the 2002-03 academic
year. Eligibility for Pell Grant award depends
on the following criteria:
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Eligibility is based on the Federal
Methodology calculation of Expected Family Contribution
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The cost of studying in the school (s) you have targeted
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Decision regarding plans to
attend college on a full or part time basis
Please Note:
Even though
millions of students qualify for a Pell Grant, most students from
middle income families do not qualify because their family income is too
high.
You will be notified about your eligibility when you receive your
Student Aid Report (SAR) which outlines your
Expected Family Contribution.
The federal government provides enough funds to cover the Pell
Grants of students at each participating college.
Questions to Consider:
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How do I qualify for a Federal Pell Grant?
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If I am awarded a Pell Grant, how do I receive the funds?
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Do I have to do anything special to apply for a Pell Grant?
To be eligible for a Pell Grant you must meet the following criteria:
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Have a demonstrated financial need. (This is determined by
the information you provide about your family's income on the
FAFSA form)
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Have a high school diploma, GED, or pass an independently
administered test approved by the U.S. Dept. of Education.
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Be enrolled in an eligible program
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Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
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Make satisfactory academic progress
Colleges participating in the Federal Pell Grant
program will have a large sum of Pell Grant funds that they will dispense to
eligible students. Generally, your college will either deposit the
award funds in your own college account, pay you directly or use
a combination of these two methods. Schools must pay you the funds
at least once a semester, quarter, or trimester.
Do I have to do anything special to apply for a Pell Grant?
No, other than filing the FAFSA
form, there are no additional requirements. The FAFSA form automatically submits your information
for Pell Grant consideration.
FSEOG is a federal government program intended as a supplement
to other sources of aid. Each college gets a set amount of money for FSEOGs
and it is the responsibility of the financial aid office to determine which
students receive these awards. It is what is referred to as a "campus
based program," i.e., the colleges select recipients and decide the
amount of award for each student.
Eligibility is based on extreme financial need with first priority
given to Pell Grant recipients. The amount of the awards generally range
from $100 to $4,000 per student per year.
Questions to Consider:
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What determines my eligibility for FSEOG awards?
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How are payments of FSEOG awards handled?
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How and when should I apply for FSEOG awards?
The same federal requirements that are valid for
Pell Grants also apply for the FSEOG program. In addition,
you must show exceptional financial need. Usually, preference
is given to students who are receiving a Pell Grant.
Payment of FSEOG awards are handled in the same manner as dispensing
the Federal Pell Grant awards. See the section about Pell Grants above.
All you need to do is submit your FAFSA form on
time. You will need to submit the FAFSA before the 1st deadline is set by
individual college (s). If the FAFSA is not submitted in time you might
miss out on these funds. Colleges have very limited FSEOG funds
available and those funds could be allocated before they
receive your "late" FAFSA analysis. File
early and don't miss out.
Source: A federally funded program with funds administered
by state education agencies.
Eligibility Requirements: The Byrd Honors Scholarship is
awarded to high school graduates who have demonstrated outstanding academic
achievement in high school and who show promise of continued academic
achievement in college. This is a merit-based scholarship. Your un weighted GPA
(no extra weight given for grades in honors classes) and your SAT I scores are
the criteria for selection of the recipients.
Annual award amounts: $1,500.00 renewable scholarships
are awarded for four years of undergraduate study at any public or private
nonprofit institution in the U.S. The amount of the Byrd Scholarship plus any
other aid you receive cannot exceed the total cost of your education.
Payment of awards: A check is issued to your college in
your name. When you enroll in school, sign for the check at the college
financial aid office.
Application procedures and deadlines: The Byrd Scholarship
Program applications are available at your high school. Submit your application
to your high school counselor or appropriate administrator. Your school screens
applications and nominates two students to participate in a statewide
competition. Your school sets its own deadline for submission of your
application to them and accordingly submits your school's two nominations to the
state education agency by the given date.
Other Federal Sources of Student Aid:
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Workforce Investment Act
Formerly the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA),
this is a Department of Labor program of tuition and free assistance for job
training for the economically disadvantaged, dislocated workers, and others
facing employment barriers.
There are some other merit-based grants specifically
targeted to particular students. The federal government funds these programs but
state agencies actually choose the recipients. For more information, contact
your state financial aid agency.
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