Most college-bound students are looking for ways to supplement their education fund. Its nearly impossible to pay for a college education without some form of financial aid. Loans, both federal and private, help thousands of students every year finance their education, but that money needs to be repaid and with interest.
Before considering any form of education loan, students need to investigate possible grants for which they may be qualified. Grant money for college never has to be repaid, and there are a wide array of grant programs designed to benefit every kind of student, and every course of study. Thousands of organizations, both public and private, have grant money to award to students who are struggling to cover the costs of their college tuition.
Proper Research Will Lead You to the Grants You Need
Finding the right grant programs to help pay for college takes time, research and diligence. You can begin by talking to your high school advisers and teachers, and then continue your investigations on your own. At this point the internet will be a primary tool in your search for education grants, as will your local libraries.
Any successful grant search begins with knowing yourself, your status as a student and your academic interests. This will help you narrow your focus, and will allow you to eliminate those grant programs for which you are not eligible. Remember, there are need-based grants, merit-based grants and career specific grants, and the first step is understanding the type of program youre looking for. For example, if you are an Hispanic woman going to college to become an accountant, you will want to search for grant programs that are dedicated to Latin-American female students enrolled in business and accounting studies.
Begin your grant search early, to allow yourself plenty of time to find, and apply to, the various grant programs for which you may be eligible. As you begin to search for possible education grants, you will find that they come in all shapes and sizes. You will also IA payday loans find that many grant programs may be found in the most unlikely of places. Look deeply, leave no stone unturned, and you may find the necessary education grants that will help meet your college costs.
Where To Start
The following list of education grants is expansive in the scope of the programs it covers, but it is by no means exhaustive. Some of the 101 listings are for single grant programs, while others are a gateway to a list of further financial aid programs. At the very least, these 101 Grants Opportunities will give you an idea of the vast array of programs that exist to help deserving students find the money they need for college. It should also, hopefully, give you the confidence to keep searching until you find the grant program that will benefit you.
The U.S Department of Educations Federal grant programs undoubtedly have the highest profile of any of the grants on this list. These grants are the starting point for and college-bound students looking to find financial aid for their post-secondary education.
Need-Based
- The Federal Pell Grant is available to students who demonstrate the requisite amount of financial need. It is open to all college-bound students, and application is made by filling out and submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.
Merit-Based and Need
- The Academic Competitiveness Grant is available to students who have already qualified for the Pell grant. A grant award of $750 is available to freshman students, and a further award of up to $1300 is available to qualifying sophomores. The ACG is open to students majoring in a critical need area, such as math, science, technology, engineering and foreign languages.
