College Planning for Adults
A grant is money that does not need to be repaid. It is generally given to students with the greatest financial need.
The federal government gives out two major grants: Pell Grant and Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) but you need to fill out the FAFSA to be eligible.
Your college may also give out special grants but in most cases, your eligibility for the grant will be determined by the FAFSA.
Pell Grant
The Pell Grant is the most common grant distributed by the federal government. It is given to students with great financial need. Students can receive up to $4050 a semester but they must complete a FAFSA each year to be considered.
The Pell Grant can be used for both credit and noncredit courses but you must make satisfactory progress towards a degree in order to continue receiving the Pell Grant.
WARNING: If you use your Pell Grant award for noncredit courses, you are not making satisfactory progress towards a degree.
FSEOG
The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant is also distributed by the federal government but is only given to students with the greatest financial need. Eligible students can receive up to $4000 a semester but like the Pell Grant, a FAFSA needs to be submitted each year.
TIPS 1. Do your taxes as soon as you have all of the paperwork. You’ll need this information to complete the FAFSA. 2. Submit your FAFSA in early February. The FAFSA deadline is June 30th for the next school year. You might qualify for more financial aid if you submit your FAFSA sooner rather than later.
If you are from another country:
Even if you are not eligible for federal student aid, complete and submit your FAFSA You may be eligible for state or school financial aid, and some schools use the FAFSA information when they decide about that.
For more information and help with the FAFSA application, call the Federal Student Aid Information Center 1-800-433-3243. Visit our section on FAFSA for more information.
What is a scholarship?
A scholarship is similar to a grant in that it does not need to be repaid. Scholarships, however, are not necessarily given out based on greatest financial need. Many scholarships are awarded to students based on academic ability and students need to apply directly to the school foundation or private company to compete for the scholarship. The process differs for each scholarship but usually it involves filling out an application, writing an essay, and getting a reference.
General scholarships are open to everyone who is eligible but many scholarships are not general scholarships. Many scholarships cater to very specific things like race, athletic ability, or chosen profession.
You may qualify for a scholarship through your college. You can find out about your college’s scholarships by looking in the Course Catalog. Make sure you fill out the FAFSA because some of these scholarships may be determined by financial need.
Examples of Scholarships & Scholarship Search Engines
Connecticut Community Foundation Scholarships & Loans
http://communityfoundation.org/content/scholloan/index.html
First in My Family Scholarship
http://www.hispanicfund.org/clients /hcf/hcc.nsf/View01/
7430EB2E07A0600B85256C86007E362502ec.html?OpenDocument
Hispanic College Fund
http://www.hispanicfund.org/
Horticulture Research Institute Timothy Bigelow Scholarship – New England http://www.anla.org/research/Scholarships/TandPBigelow.htm
Roothbert Fund Scholarship (for Students motivated by spiritual values)
http://www.roothbertfund.org/scholarships.php
Textbookx.com Scholarship
http://www.textbookx.com/scholarship
Scholarship Search Engines
There are several places to look for scholarships on the Internet. The following websites are the most credible and reliable resources for finding scholarships. For most of these websites you will have to provide personal information such as your name, email address, and interests. This information will allow the search engine to find scholarships that meet your needs.
Finaid.com:
http://www.finaid.org/
Fastweb:
http://www.fastweb.com
The College Board:
http://apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_ss/welcome.jsp
Scholarship Resource Network Express:
http://www.srnexpress.com/index.cfm
TIPS
1. Write down usernames and passwords for each site and keep this information in safe space.2. Write down the names of the scholarships that interest you.
3. Write down the deadlines for each scholarship and the materials you need to submit.
If you are incarcerated or if you are an ex-offender:
Even if you had problems when you tried to get a job in the past, most people with criminal history records are still eligible for financial aid and can get into college. Many financial aid applications do not ask for information about your criminal history.
If they do ask, you do not need to report convictions that were removed from your record. For more information on removing convictions from your record, see the section on What are your career goals?
For important financial aid information, go to the Financial Aid–FAFSA page.
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