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• Click below for information on federal financial aid programs
• Federal Work Study (FWS) Program
  Federal Grants
  Federal Student Loan Frequently Asked Questions
  Federal Student Loans

Federal Grants

• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
• Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)
• National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant)

Unlike loans, grants are not repaid unless, for example, you are awarded funds incorrectly or you withdraw from school prior to the planned end of the term.  All federal grants are awarded to students with financial need.  The amount of money you can get from a Pell Grant depends on your cost of attendance, expected family contribution, enrollment status (full or part-time) and whether you will attend for a full academic year or less.  To obtain a FSEOG, ACG or National SMART Grant you must be eligible and receive a Federal Pell Grant.  The amount of your FSEOG, ACG and National SMART Grant depends on your financial need.

For the most up to date information on federal grant programs visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov.

Federal Pell Grants

Pell Grants are generally awarded only to undergraduate students.  In some limed cases a student enrolled in a post-baccalaureate teacher certification program can also obtain a Pell Grant.  The amount of a Pell Grant can change every year.  The maximum award for the 2007-08 school year was $4,310.

Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants are awarded to undergraduate students with exceptional financial need – those with the lowest Expected Family Contribution numbers.  FSEOG awards range from $100 to $4,000 per year.  The actual amount of the award is determined by each participating school’s financial aid office.

Unlike Pell Grants, the amount of FSEOGs a student can obtain depends not only on financial need but also on the amount of other aid a person gets and the availability of funds at each school.  Not all schools participate in the FSEOG Program.  Due to limited funds it is important to apply early to be considered for an FSEOG award.  Not everyone who qualifies for an FSEOG might get one.

Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)

The ACG program began in the 2006-07 school year for full-time undergraduate students.  The maximum award for a first year eligible undergraduate student is $750; the maximum award for a second year eligible undergraduate students is $1,300.

To receive an ACG, a student must:

• Receive a Federal Pell Grant during the same award year
• Be a U.S. Citizen
• Be a first – or second-year full-time undergraduate student in a degree program at a two-year or four-year degree granting institution.
• Have completed a rigorous secondary school program of study, and
• If a first-year student – have completed secondary school after Jan. 1, 2006 or
• If a second-year student – have completed secondary school after Jan. 1, 2005, and have at least a 3.0 grade point average as of the end of the first academic year of undergraduate study.

National SMART Grants

The National SMART Grant program is for full-time undergraduate students who are enrolled in the third or fourth academic year of undergraduate study.  The award is for up to $4,000 for each of the third and fourth academic years.

To obtain a National SMART Grant, a student must:

• Receive a Federal Pell Grant during the same award year;
• Be a U.S. Citizen;
• Be a full-time student in his or her third or fourth academic year of an undergraduate degree program;
• Be pursuing a major in physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, technology, engineering, or a critical foreign language, and
• Have at least a 3.0 grade point average as of the end of the second award year and continue to maintain a 3.0 GPA that must be checked prior to the beginning of each semester or term.