Federal Grants

Grants are considered gift aid and do not have to be repaid.  Most grant aid is based on some type of need-based eligibility requirement; therefore, you must complete the FAFSA to apply for most grants. Although grants are a very desirable source of financial aid, the availability of grants is generally limited to the neediest students. Below are the grants available from the federal government.

Federal Pell Grant

Federal Pell Grants are awarded based upon the analysis of the FAFSA, cost-of-attendance, and enrollment status (full-time or part-time).  Pell Grants are awarded only to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor's degree or professional degree.  Pell Grants often provide a foundation of financial aid to which other aid is added for the neediest students.

The United States Department of Education uses a standardized formula, established by Congress called the Federal Needs Analysis Methodology, to evaluate the information you report on the FAFSA.  The formula produces an Expected Family Contribution (EFC).  The EFC number can range from zero to 99,999 or higher.  Your Student Aid Report (SAR) contains this number and will tell you if you are eligible for a Pell Grant.  You can get a booklet called the EFC Formula Book, which describes how a student's EFC is calculated, by writing to:

Federal Student Aid Programs
P.O. Box 84
Washington, DC 20044

The maximum Pell Grant for 2007-2008 is $4310 if you have a zero EFC.  The maximum Pell Award can change each year based upon Congressional funding levels.  However, if you are eligible for a Pell Grant based upon your EFC number, you are guaranteed to receive it.  For the 2007-2008 school year, full-time students with an EFC from zero to 4110 qualify for some Pell Grant.  Those with EFCs of 4111 or greater are not eligible for a Pell Grant, but could be eligible for other types of aid.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

The Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (SEOG) is for undergraduate students with exceptional financial need.  Preference is given to Pell Grant recipients with a zero EFC.  We must have the results of your FAFSA by our first priority deadline date of March 1 in order to consider you for this grant; therefore, you should submit your FAFSA by February 15 of the award year.

Academic Competitiveness Grant

The Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) is available for first year students who graduated from high school after January 1, 2006, and for second year students who graduated from high school after January 1, 2005. The Academic Competitiveness Grant award is in addition to the student's Pell Grant award. 

The ACG will provide up to $750 for the first year of undergraduate study and up to $1,300 for the second year of undergraduate study to full-time students who are eligible for a Federal Pell Grant and who successfully completed a rigorous high school program. Second year students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0.

Contact the Financial Aid Office to determine if you are eligible for the ACG. 

National Science & Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant)

The National Science & Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant, also known as the National SMART Grant is available during the third and fourth years of undergraduate study to full-time students who are eligible for the Federal Pell Grant and who are majoring in physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, technology, or engineering or in a foreign language determined critical to national security. The student must also have maintained a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 in coursework required for the major. The National SMART Grant award is in addition to the student's Pell Grant award.

A National SMART Grant will provide up to $4,000 for each of the third and fourth years of undergraduate study to full-time students who are eligible for the Federal Pell Grant and who are majoring in physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, technology, or engineering or in a foreign language determined critical to national security.

Contact the Financial Aid Office to determine if you are eligible for the National SMART Grant.