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What Grants Should You Consider?
The U.S. government provides several free student grants yearly. In fact, Congress has allocated an estimated $67 billion on student aid for those who want to pursue post-secondary education.
These funds are released annually in the form of free student grants, student loans, and scholarships. The main thrust of the free student aid program is to assist the students and their families in shouldering the expenses of pursuing higher learning.
When you apply for federal student aid, the award will probably consist of a combination of any of these financial aids: gift aid or a grant, loan, and a job.
As we mentioned above, the best form of aid is a student grant. You do not have to pay or work to receive money from a student grant. It is as free as free money gets.
The commonest form of student grant is a scholarship, which is usually based on talent or personal attributes. Other forms are grants based on need and tuition waiver.
Before applying for a student grant, find out the answers to the following questions:
What do I have to do to keep my scholarship?
Is there a minimum GPA or other condition?
If I win an outside scholarship, what happens to my aid?
Tip! Because grants are essentially free money, the funds available for them are limited. After all, government can only spare so much money for those in need and at the same time keep funding other projects they may have. For this reason, student grants will not usually fully fund all your educational expenses.
Can it be increased if my family has financial problems?
Do I have to do anything more than maintain satisfactory academic progress?
After getting the answers to the above questions, you should now have a basic idea on what you need to do in order to qualify for a student grant.
So what grants should you consider?
Pell Grant
Like all typical student grants, Pell Grants are awarded based on financial need of the student, as calculated by the federal aid program. Application for a Pell Grant is actually part of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA, which we will discuss later on when we get to the application process.
The factors that affect your eligibility and the amount you receive from a Pell Grant will depend on the following factors:
Expected family contribution
Cost of attendance
Whether or not you are a full-time or part-time student
Whether or not you are attending school for a full academic year or less
Using the standard formula established by Congress to evaluate the information you report when you apply, you will then be given your copy of the SAR which contains your EFC number located in the upper right portion of page 1. This number will determine if you're eligible and how much you can receive.
Tip! Applying for free government grant money takes a lot of skill. The art and science of applying for grant programs is called grantsmanship. Grantsmanship is no walk in the park and no stroll at the beach. The application process alone requires a lot from you, namely, money and time.
Generally, Pell Grants are awarded only to undergraduate students - those who haven't earned a Bachelor's or Graduate degree. However, there are limited cases where you might receive a Pell Grant if you're enrolled in a post-baccalaureate teacher certificate program.
If you get awarded a Pell Grant, you will receive your money through your school. Typically, the college will credit the Pell Grant funds to your school account. If not, they will pay you directly by writing you a check. The school must tell you in writing how and when you will be paid and how much your Pell Grant will be. Schools must pay you at once per term (semester, trimester, or quarter). Schools that don't use formally defined, traditional terms must pay you at least twice per academic year.
Bureau of Health Professions Student Assistance
The Department of Health and Human Services is offering student financial aid programs for students studying to become health professionals and nurses. Under the Titles VII and VIII of the Public Health Service Act, Congress has authorized the department to offer financial aid in the form of student grants.
To execute its oversight responsibilities of these programs, the Department has assigned its Division of Student Assistance to issue regulations and conduct audits and program reviews.
Tip! Almost as important as your business plan is your grant application. After all, the grant is essentially your source of capital. If you have no capital, then you have no business starting your business in the first place. Below are some tips to help you write that winning grant application
However, the Department's Division of Student Assistance also provides certain services directly to institutions and students that include responding to individual inquiries, sponsoring workshops for post-secondary school administrators, disseminating policy memoranda, and producing publications.
Below are some of the student aid programs available under the Bureau:
Health Professions Student Loan (HPSL)
Loans for Disadvantaged Students (LDS)
Primary Care Loan (PCL)
Health Education Assistance Loan (HEAL)
Exceptional Financial Need Scholarship (EFN)
Financial Assistance for Disadvantaged Health Professions Students (FADHPS)
Scholarship for Disadvantaged Students (SDS)
Supplemental Education Grants
In addition to your current student grant, you may also apply for supplemental education grants. These grants are usually available to students with exceptional financial need. The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program (FSEOG) is one such additional grant opportunity.
Tip! If you are put on a waiting list or denied outright, don’t wait. Revamp and polish your proposal and hand it in somewhere else. Each time your work gets better.
The FSEOG grant is federally funded. However, if you apply and qualify for one of its grants, it is the individual college or university that awards you the money. Unlike Pell Grants, the amount of FSEOG funds you receive depends not only on your financial need but also on the amount of other aid you get and the availability of funds at your school.
Each school participating in the program has a financial aid office that shall be responsible for administering the FSEOGs. To apply, you will also need to fill up an FAFSA form. And once you finish that, all that is left for you to do is to contact your school's financial aid office and specifically apply for an FSEOG.
In addition to Pell Grants, the Bureau of Health Professions Student Assistance, and FSEOGs, the U.S. Government provides other means by which you can get financial aid for college. You can check the Students.gov website for further info. | 
