The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Work-Study (FWS), and Federal Perkins Loan programs are called campus-based programs because they're administered directly by the financial aid office at each participating school. Not all schools participate in all three programs. Check with your school's financial aid office to find out which programs they participate in.
How much aid you receive from each of these programs depends on your financial need, on the amount of other aid you receive, and on the availability of funds at your college or career school. Unlike the Federal Pell Grant Program, which provides funds to every eligible student, the campus-based programs provide a certain amount of funds for each participating school to administer each year. When the money for a program is gone, no more awards can be made from that program for that year. So, make sure you apply for federal student aid as early as you can. Each school sets its own deadlines for campus-based funds, and those deadlines are usually earlier than the Department of Education's deadline for filing a FAFSA.
The National Science & Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant)
The National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant, also known as the National Smart Grant is available during the third and fourth years of undergraduate study (or fifth year of a five-year program) to at least half-time students who are eligible for the Federal Pell Grant and who are majoring in physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, technology, engineering or a critical foreign language; or non-major single liberal arts programs. The student must also be enrolled in the courses necessary to complete the degree program and to fulfill the requirements of the intended eligible major in addition to maintaining a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 in course work required for the major. The National SMART Grant award is in addition to the student's Pell Grant award.
Note - A student is eligible to receive a National SMART Grant if the student enrolls in the courses necessary to complete the degree program and to fulfill the requirements of the intended eligible major.
That is, an otherwise eligible student can receive a National SMART Grant for a payment period only if the student is enrolled in at least one course that meets the specific requirements of the student's National SMART Grant-eligible major and it is not necessary that the course be offered by the academic department that confers the degree in the eligible major. For example, a student majoring in biology is eligible to receive a National SMART Grant during a semester in which he or she is enrolled in a physics course if the physics course is required for the major even if the student is not enrolled in any biology courses.
A student who is taking general education courses or electives that satisfy general degree requirements for the student's National SMART Grant-eligible program, but who is not taking at least one course specific to and required for the National SMART Grant-eligible major, is not eligible for a National SMART Grant payment for that payment period. For example, the biology student described above may be taking courses during a semester in the humanities, the arts, and physical education in order to fulfill the general education requirements of the degree program or major. However, to be eligible for a National SMART Grant the student must also be enrolled in at least one course required for the student's National SMART Grant major. If the student were enrolled only in courses that satisfy the general education requirements of the National SMART Grant-eligible program, but not in any courses that are specific to the major, he or she would not be eligible for a National SMART Grant payment for the semester.
How Much Can A Student Receive?
A National SMART Grant will provide up to $4,000 for each of the third and fourth years of undergraduate study. The amount of the SMART Grant, when combined with a Pell Grant, may not exceed the student's cost of attendance. In addition, if the number of eligible students is large enough that payment of the full grant amounts would exceed the program appropriation in any fiscal year, then the amount of the grant to each eligible student may be ratably reduced.Eligible Students
- be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen;
- be Pell Grant-eligible during the same award year;
- be enrolled at least half-time;
- be in the third or fourth year of an undergraduate degree program (or fifth year of a five-year program);
- be pursuing a major in physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, technology, engineering or a critical foreign language; or non-major single liberal arts programs, and
- have at least a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale 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 payment period (e.g., semester).
Note - A student is eligible to receive a National SMART Grant if the student enrolls in the courses necessary to complete the degree program and to fulfill the requirements of the intended eligible major.
That is, an otherwise eligible student can receive a National SMART Grant for a payment period only if the student is enrolled in at least one course that meets the specific requirements of the student's National SMART Grant-eligible major and it is not necessary that the course be offered by the academic department that confers the degree in the eligible major. For example, a student majoring in biology is eligible to receive a National SMART Grant during a semester in which he or she is enrolled in a physics course if the physics course is required for the major even if the student is not enrolled in any biology courses.
A student who is taking general education courses or electives that satisfy general degree requirements for the student's National SMART Grant-eligible program, but who is not taking at least one course specific to and required for the National SMART Grant-eligible major, is not eligible for a National SMART Grant payment for that payment period. For example, the biology student described above may be taking courses during a semester in the humanities, the arts, and physical education in order to fulfill the general education requirements of the degree program or major. However, to be eligible for a National SMART Grant the student must also be enrolled in at least one course required for the student's National SMART Grant major. If the student were enrolled only in courses that satisfy the general education requirements of the National SMART Grant-eligible program, but not in any courses that are specific to the major, he or she would not be eligible for a National SMART Grant payment for the semester.
Eligible Fields of Study
Click here for a list of eligible fields of study.Tuition increase adds to available financial aid
One week after a University committee recommended a nearly 4-percent tuition increase per year over the next two years, it is still unclear how need-based financial aid would be affected if the increase were implemented.
The Tuition Policy Advisory Committee, which is composed of four student leaders, five faculty members and three non-voting advisory members, recommended tuition be increased by 3.95 percent per year over the next two years.
Though an increase would raise the cost of attendance, it would also increase the amount of money available for aid, said Tom Melecki, director of student financial services.
About 20 percent of each resident student’s tuition is set aside for funding financial aid, as the Texas Education Code mandates. More than $2 million would be added to available aid if an increase were implemented, he said.
Including a $65 per-semester fee for the construction of the new Student Activity Center, the increase translates to about $240 more in tuition each semester next year for each undergraduate.
He said it is difficult to know how financial aid will be affected if tuition is increased. The
ability to provide aid is determined by both the cost of attending the University and by the resources families can contribute to paying those costs.
“If the economy picks up and families are better to offer somewhat larger family contributions, that’s part of the equation, too,” Melecki said. “It’s not just the cost of attending, but it’s also what families can produce. We’ll know more about where families are at in April after families have filed FAFSA forms.”
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, takes salaries, children, assets and other factors into account when calculating an Expected Family Contribution, or the amount the government thinks a family is able to contribute toward a college education.
The amount of aid available also depends on how much the state and federal governments are willing to provide for grants, including the TEXAS Grant and the Federal Pell Grant, Melecki said.
“Given what’s going on in the economy now, I would strongly recommend every student file one of those FAFSA forms so we can see what a family can kick in toward college cost,” he said.
About 53 percent of undergraduate students and about 40 percent of graduate students receive need-based financial aid, Melecki said.
But some students, including social work senior Elizabeth Ender, say they have not received enough need-based financial aid, even though they filed a FAFSA.
Ender works two jobs, as an on-campus resident assistant and as a psychology lab research assistant, to help pay for her tuition. She said her jobs are affecting her grades.
“It’s a tough situation,” said Ender. “Obviously, it would suck if they raised tuition, but it sounds like if they don’t, education will be affected in the long run. I’m on the fence, but either way, it sucks.”
Without a tuition increase, the University would face budget shortfalls of more than $17 million during the 2010-11 school year and more than $14 million the following year, according to the committee’s recommendations.
The committee does not make decisions or recommendations about how the budget, aside from tuition, should be handled. But cutting the budget by more than $17 million could result in reductions in course availability, staff, equipment and academic and student-support services, said Kevin Hegarty, the committee’s co-chair and UT’s vice president and chief financial officer.
“Obviously, there’s never enough financial aid to go around to everybody,” Hegarty said. “But we would hope to protect the people in greatest need from the effect of the tuition increase.”
The Tuition Policy Advisory Committee, which is composed of four student leaders, five faculty members and three non-voting advisory members, recommended tuition be increased by 3.95 percent per year over the next two years.
Though an increase would raise the cost of attendance, it would also increase the amount of money available for aid, said Tom Melecki, director of student financial services.
About 20 percent of each resident student’s tuition is set aside for funding financial aid, as the Texas Education Code mandates. More than $2 million would be added to available aid if an increase were implemented, he said.
Including a $65 per-semester fee for the construction of the new Student Activity Center, the increase translates to about $240 more in tuition each semester next year for each undergraduate.
He said it is difficult to know how financial aid will be affected if tuition is increased. The
ability to provide aid is determined by both the cost of attending the University and by the resources families can contribute to paying those costs.
“If the economy picks up and families are better to offer somewhat larger family contributions, that’s part of the equation, too,” Melecki said. “It’s not just the cost of attending, but it’s also what families can produce. We’ll know more about where families are at in April after families have filed FAFSA forms.”
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, takes salaries, children, assets and other factors into account when calculating an Expected Family Contribution, or the amount the government thinks a family is able to contribute toward a college education.
The amount of aid available also depends on how much the state and federal governments are willing to provide for grants, including the TEXAS Grant and the Federal Pell Grant, Melecki said.
“Given what’s going on in the economy now, I would strongly recommend every student file one of those FAFSA forms so we can see what a family can kick in toward college cost,” he said.
About 53 percent of undergraduate students and about 40 percent of graduate students receive need-based financial aid, Melecki said.
But some students, including social work senior Elizabeth Ender, say they have not received enough need-based financial aid, even though they filed a FAFSA.
Ender works two jobs, as an on-campus resident assistant and as a psychology lab research assistant, to help pay for her tuition. She said her jobs are affecting her grades.
“It’s a tough situation,” said Ender. “Obviously, it would suck if they raised tuition, but it sounds like if they don’t, education will be affected in the long run. I’m on the fence, but either way, it sucks.”
Without a tuition increase, the University would face budget shortfalls of more than $17 million during the 2010-11 school year and more than $14 million the following year, according to the committee’s recommendations.
The committee does not make decisions or recommendations about how the budget, aside from tuition, should be handled. But cutting the budget by more than $17 million could result in reductions in course availability, staff, equipment and academic and student-support services, said Kevin Hegarty, the committee’s co-chair and UT’s vice president and chief financial officer.
“Obviously, there’s never enough financial aid to go around to everybody,” Hegarty said. “But we would hope to protect the people in greatest need from the effect of the tuition increase.”
Searching For Free Scholarship
If you happen to search the internet for scholarships lately, you should have discovered that there are many out there waiting to be awarded. Actually, there are thousands of individual scholarship grants waiting to be awarded to qualified individuals. Meanwhile, a portion of these remains un-awarded either because there are few applicants or there are no applicants who qualified.
Because of this, you might ask: “How can I, as an aspirant, increase my chances of landing on the right scholarship at the same time, winning that scholarship?”
First and foremost, you need to start searching early. This means, you should start your search for possible sponsors during the beginning of your final year in high school. Or, you can even start searching in the middle of your high school years.
When searching, it is good to look for as much as scholarship grants as you can. In this way, you can have enough lists of potential sponsors that you can apply at. And since no one will hinder you to apply on each Scholarship sites, you can increase your chances in getting at least one reply.
Searching early will give you clearer idea on what school to enter, at the same time, doing your search early will narrow down your list of scholarships to apply with reference to the compatibility to the course you are about to take and the school you are about to enter.
Staring your search early will also give you time to prepare yourself in the criteria of your targeted scholarship. In other words, if the type of scholarship you are targeting at requires applicants to have working experience, extracurricular activities, good grades, and others, you can prepare for it before you actually apply.
Knowing the types of scholarships will enable you to choose where exactly do you fit. In reality, there are several types of scholarships with several subs underneath them. Making sure you know what you want and what you are capable of will lead you to better chances of landing at the scholarship that is right for you. This in turn, will increase your chances of winning the scholarship.
These few things will bring you a long way in your search for free scholarship. Remember that scholarships range their grants from partial to full payment on whole college education. And since you wish to aim for the biggest amount, doing best on the application process will give you great advantage in winning your most wanted full scholarship.
Low Jeremy
http://www.articlesbase.com/advertising-articles/searching-for-free-scholarship-62846.html
Because of this, you might ask: “How can I, as an aspirant, increase my chances of landing on the right scholarship at the same time, winning that scholarship?”
First and foremost, you need to start searching early. This means, you should start your search for possible sponsors during the beginning of your final year in high school. Or, you can even start searching in the middle of your high school years.
When searching, it is good to look for as much as scholarship grants as you can. In this way, you can have enough lists of potential sponsors that you can apply at. And since no one will hinder you to apply on each Scholarship sites, you can increase your chances in getting at least one reply.
Searching early will give you clearer idea on what school to enter, at the same time, doing your search early will narrow down your list of scholarships to apply with reference to the compatibility to the course you are about to take and the school you are about to enter.
Staring your search early will also give you time to prepare yourself in the criteria of your targeted scholarship. In other words, if the type of scholarship you are targeting at requires applicants to have working experience, extracurricular activities, good grades, and others, you can prepare for it before you actually apply.
Knowing the types of scholarships will enable you to choose where exactly do you fit. In reality, there are several types of scholarships with several subs underneath them. Making sure you know what you want and what you are capable of will lead you to better chances of landing at the scholarship that is right for you. This in turn, will increase your chances of winning the scholarship.
These few things will bring you a long way in your search for free scholarship. Remember that scholarships range their grants from partial to full payment on whole college education. And since you wish to aim for the biggest amount, doing best on the application process will give you great advantage in winning your most wanted full scholarship.
Low Jeremy
http://www.articlesbase.com/advertising-articles/searching-for-free-scholarship-62846.html
4 Responses to “Searching For Free Scholarship”
beautifulblackme Says:
September 19th, 2009 at 10:07 pm Why do you have to pay to buy a grant book yet scholarship searches are free?
Whenever I’ve searched online for grants, I’ve always gotten a response saying that I have to buy a book full of grants, but I can search all day long for scholarships for FREE. What’s up with that?
And yes I know that they are two different things but they’re all the same: FREE MONEY!
One cannot PAY if one DOESN’T have any MONEY!!! Everyone’s daddy isn’t so rich that they can write a check for tuition and fees…and nobody’s even trying to answer this question.
September 19th, 2009 at 10:07 pm Why do you have to pay to buy a grant book yet scholarship searches are free?
Whenever I’ve searched online for grants, I’ve always gotten a response saying that I have to buy a book full of grants, but I can search all day long for scholarships for FREE. What’s up with that?
And yes I know that they are two different things but they’re all the same: FREE MONEY!
One cannot PAY if one DOESN’T have any MONEY!!! Everyone’s daddy isn’t so rich that they can write a check for tuition and fees…and nobody’s even trying to answer this question.
gcdc323 Says:
September 20th, 2009 at 3:09 am grants and scholarships are two different things
References :
September 20th, 2009 at 3:09 am grants and scholarships are two different things
References :
badfish911 Says:
September 20th, 2009 at 3:11 am you should try PAYING for college with your own money…or take out a loan
References :
September 20th, 2009 at 3:11 am you should try PAYING for college with your own money…or take out a loan
References :
imisidro Says:
September 20th, 2009 at 3:13 am You don’t have to pay to get information on available grants. In fact the information is FREE
You can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) http://www.cfda.gov and Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov – these are two sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. Browse through the listings and see if you can find any grant that would support your purposes.
Even if you buy books on "how to get grants" or list that supposedly has information on grants — all of them are mere rehash of what CFDA has, albeit packaged differently.
Note though that these grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments. Most of the federal grants are given to specific target groups with specific requirements (e.g. minority business owners involved in transportation related contracts emanating from DOT – Grant#20.905 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Short Term Lending Program. Individuals especially for personal purposes are not eligible for federal grants.
Grants are also often given to non profit groups or organizations involved in training or other similar activities (grant 59.043 Women’s Business Ownership Assistance that are given to those who will create women’s business center that will train women entrepreneurs
http://www.cfda.gov
http://www.grants.gov
http://gtionline.fdncenter.org
http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol66/grants.htm
http://www.sba.gov/expanding/grants.html
References :
September 20th, 2009 at 3:13 am You don’t have to pay to get information on available grants. In fact the information is FREE
You can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) http://www.cfda.gov and Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov – these are two sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. Browse through the listings and see if you can find any grant that would support your purposes.
Even if you buy books on "how to get grants" or list that supposedly has information on grants — all of them are mere rehash of what CFDA has, albeit packaged differently.
Note though that these grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments. Most of the federal grants are given to specific target groups with specific requirements (e.g. minority business owners involved in transportation related contracts emanating from DOT – Grant#20.905 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Short Term Lending Program. Individuals especially for personal purposes are not eligible for federal grants.
Grants are also often given to non profit groups or organizations involved in training or other similar activities (grant 59.043 Women’s Business Ownership Assistance that are given to those who will create women’s business center that will train women entrepreneurs
http://www.cfda.gov
http://www.grants.gov
http://gtionline.fdncenter.org
http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol66/grants.htm
http://www.sba.gov/expanding/grants.html
References :
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