Grants and scholarships help students cover college costs without incurring further debt. Here's where you can find that free money for college funding.
Educational grants and scholarships are the best kind of financial aid, for one simple reason: it's free money. Always a more popular option than student loans, grants and scholarships support students who demonstrate academic merit and/or financial need.
Where Can You Find Grants?
Educational grants and scholarships are funded by federal and state governments, colleges and universities, and private sources. Some grants and scholarships are based solely on merit, while others are based on financial need. Some grants and scholarships take into account factors such as major or ethnicity.
Financial Need
Many need-based funding programs use one of two general financial aid applications: the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and/or the College Board's CSS Profile. By filing one of these forms, you will automatically be considered for all federal grants, most institutional funding, and some private grants. These programs are generally administered through your school's financial aid office.
Academic Merit
Merit-based scholarships often require additional application materials designed to demonstrate academic achievement. In addition to test scores, high school grades, and a list of academic honors and activities, you may be required to submit letters of recommendation and a personal statement.
Federal Grants
Federal Student Aid funds the following four grants:
•Pell Grant. The Pell Grant is the foundation of the federal student aid
program. It provides up to $4310 per year to undergraduate students who demonstrate
financial need.
•FSEOG. The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant supplements the
Pell Grant for students with the greatest financial need, with awards up to $4000.
•Academic Competitiveness Grant. The Academic Competitiveness Grant rewards
students who successfully completed a rigorous high school program. The ACG supplements
the Pell Grant, with a maximum award of $750 for the freshman year of study, and up to
$1300 for the second year of study.
•National SMART Grant. Also known as the 'National Science and Mathematics
Access to Retain Talent' Grant, this supplement to the Pell Grant provides up to $4000
each year for third and fourth year undergraduates majoring in certain fields. If you
are pursuing a degree in physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, technology,
engineering, or a high-demand foreign language (such as Arabic), you may be eligible
for a SMART grant.
Academic Grants & Scholarships
Many institutions fund their own scholarships. Consult the financial aid office and the school's Web site to determine application procedures.
Private Scholarships
Some private scholarships are administered by the school's financial aid office, but for the most part you'll have to contact and apply to the funding organization directly. It may take some legwork to find scholarships--contact local community groups, religious groups, and businesses, and you can also search online at free scholarship Web sites.
Grants and scholarships offset college costs without increasing your student debt. Make sure you pursue all available sources of college funding--federal, state, institutional, and private. In many cases, a FAFSA is all it takes to qualify for 'free' money for college.
Author: Sonja Albrecht
Source(s)
BankRate.com
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/green/college/basics4-4a.asp
The College Board
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/pay/scholarships-and-aid/8936.html
Federal Student Aid
http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/NewPrograms.jsp
Peterson's
http://www.petersons.com/finaid/file.asp?id=780&path=ug.pfs.financial
Princeton Review
http://www.princetonreview.com/grad/finance/articles/tools/basics.asp