Grants | EDScholarship

The U.S. Department of Education through the Federal-aid makes a variety of federal programs available for college students. among those programs, we can count the grant as financial assistance for school purposes or a gift to a student.

A grant is a form of financial aid that doesn’t have to be repaid (unless, for example, you withdraw from school and owe a refund, or you receive a TEACH Grant and don’t complete your service obligation). A variety of federal grants are available, including Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG), Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grants, and Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants.

The following are the three basic things that students need to know about grants:

Grants Eligibility

On the government side, there are limited grants that individuals can get eligible to directly. However, many grants have given to institutions of higher education, local education agencies, nonprofit organizations, other organization and/or agencies and, state education agencies. So, the student has to get in touch with the office of financial aid of his/her school in order to know which grant he/she is eligible for. Though, they're a lot of resources out there for students to take advantage of.

It is important that students stay eligible for the grants that they have received. To do so, it is vital for students to always meet the following basic criteria:

Continue to Meet Basic Eligibility Criteria by demonstrating financial need, being a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen, having a valid social security number, signing the certification statement on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid(FAFSA®) form...

Make Satisfactory Academic Progress by always keeping your school’s standards for satisfactory academic progress, which are usually: the equivalent standard you need to maintain; the number of credits you should have successfully completed by the end of each year; progress evaluation...

Fill Out the FAFSA® Form Each Year, the free application for federal student aid (FAFSA) form, needs to be filling yearly. In order to keep receiving the funds that you need for your program, you need to fill out the FAFSA year till the end of your program.

Non-U.S. citizens

Whether you are a non-U.S. citizen, you fall into the category of the eligible noncitizen. Besides been a U.S. permanent resident commonly called green card holder, there are some other categories of eligible noncitizen such as Arrival-Departure Record (I-94), T nonimmigrant status (for victims of human trafficking). Please check with your school's financial aid office for more information.

Grants: Grants Eligibility

Application Deadlines & Amounts

Besides the federal programs, there are many other grants that some prestigious organizations have given to students. It is important that students know where to look for grants, their deadlines, and also the amount. One of the reasons that students need to know ahead of time those things is because most of the time, a grant on itself is not enough to cover all expenses of a program.

Federal Pell Grant Program

To get a Pell Grant, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Amounts can change yearly. The maximum Federal Pell Grant award is $6,495 for the 2021–22 award year.

Description

The Federal Pell Grant Program provides need-based grants to low-income undergraduate and certain postbaccalaureate students to promote access to postsecondary education. Students may use their grants at any one of approximately 5,400 participating postsecondary institutions. Grant amounts are dependent on: the student's expected family contribution (EFC) (see below); the cost of attendance (as determined by the institution); the student's enrollment status (full-time or part-time); and whether the student attends for a full academic year or less.

Criteria & Contact Information

The amount you get, though, will depend on

your Expected Family Contribution (EFC),
the cost of attendance (determined by your school for your specific program),
your status as a full-time or part-time student, and
your plans to attend school for a full academic year or less.

Click here to learn more about Pell Grant.

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MMEG awards grants to women studying at accredited universities in the US and Canada, and selected universities in South Africa and Latin America

Deadline: Varies

Description

The Margaret McNamara offers The Margaret McNamara Education Grants (MMEG) to women from developing countries who are committed to improving the lives of women and children in their home countries. Awards are granted to women studying at accredited universities in the US and Canada, and selected universities in South Africa and Latin America.

The application deadline for applicants who live in the US and Canada is September 15 to January 15, each year.

For South Africa, the application deadline is September 14, each year.

For Latin America, the application deadline is September 30, each year.

Criteria & Contact Information

For a list of general eligibility and criteria, applicants must meet the following:

Be a self-identifying woman, and at least 25 years old at the time of application deadline (see specific regional program application below);
Be a national of a country listed on the MMEG Country Eligibility List (except for the Trinity Washington University program);
Be enrolled (not just accepted) at an accredited academic institution when submitting the application, and plan to be enrolled for a full academic term after award of the grant by the Board;
Not be related to a World Bank Group, International Monetary Fund, or Inter-American Development Bank staff member or spouse.

The Massachusetts Gilbert Matching Student Grant Program (GMSGP) provides funds for participating Massachusetts institutions of higher education and schools of nursing. At least 100 percent of the funds must be used for direct financial assistance to undergraduate students from Massachusetts so they may attend or continue to attend such institutions.

Criteria & Contact Information

To learn more about this Grant, please visit the Office of Student Finance Assistance website here.

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Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

The maximum FSEOG award is between $100 and 4,000 a year.

Deadline: Varies

Description

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is a grant for undergraduate students with exceptional financial needs. The FSEOG program is administered directly by the financial aid office at each participating school. Please verify with your school for the specific deadline because each school sets its own deadlines for campus-based funds. You can find a school’s deadline on its website or by asking someone in its financial aid office.

Criteria & Contact Information

To get an FSEOG, you must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form so your college can determine how much financial need you have. The financial aid office will award FSEOGs to students that have the most financial need. The FSEOG does not need to be repaid, except under certain circumstances.

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Fulbright-Hays Seminars Abroad--Bilateral Projects

Deadline: Varies

Description

The program provides short-term study and travel seminars abroad for U.S. educators in the social sciences and humanities for the purpose of improving their understanding and knowledge of the peoples and cultures of other countries. Support is generally made available through interagency agreements. The Department of Education transfers funds through the State Department to Fulbright commissions in various countries to pay the costs associated with administering seminars. This partnership allows the program to use the services and expertise of binational organizations to plan and conduct seminars for U.S. educators.

Criteria & Contact Information

The following is the list of people who are eligible to apply:

Elementary school teachers in the fields of social sciences, humanities, including languages;
Middle or high school educators in the fields of social sciences, humanities, including languages;
Administrators or curriculum specialists who have responsibility for curriculum in the fields of social sciences, humanities, including languages;
Librarians, museum educators, or media or resource specialists who have responsibility for curriculum in the fields of social sciences, humanities, including languages; and
Faculty or administrators from public or private, two- or four-year institutions of higher education whose discipline is related to social sciences, humanities, languages, and/or area studies.

Basic criteria requirements:

must be a citizen or a permanent resident;
must hold at least a a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university;
must be a full-time professional;
must be physically and psychologically able to participate in all phases of the seminar;
must be suitable and adaptable

Please visit the U.S. Department of Education website here for more information.

Apply Now

Grants: Application Deadlines & Amounts

Grants Available

The U.S. Department of Education has done a lot of work to help students get funds for college or career school. After all the individual sources of grant, students can also request funds from their state by contacting their state grant agency.

Students can also find grants from their institutions by the fact that many schools offer financial aid from their own grant and/or scholarship funds. So, it is important to find out what might be available to you by visiting your school’s financial aid page on its website or contacting the financial aid office. You can ask the department that offers your course of study; they might have a scholarship for students in your major. Furthermore, you can fill out any applications your school requires for its own aid programs, and meet your school’s deadlines.

Grants Available

The following is a list of state Education Agencies that students can always go to find available grants. Remember to always meet the deadline requirement.

Rural and Low-Income School Program

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/reaprlisp/index.html

Turnaround School Leaders Program

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/turnaroundschlldr/index.html

State Flexibility Demonstration Program

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/stateflex/index.html

School Improvement Grants

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/sif/index.html

Office of School Turnaround

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/sif/sigprofiles/index.html

College Access Challenge Grant Program

https://www2.ed.gov/programs/cacg/index.html