Federal & State Grants for Students 2023 – Financial Aid Programs

    With the help of government, organizations, institutions and volunteers, there have been provision for many grants for students who need financial aid.

    Notably, there have been an increase in the number of free financial aid for students through grants. Interestingly, these grants are made available for students from all over the World.

    Grants are sometimes very necessary for students who can’t afford to pay fees, it’s a form of financial aid to student and are usually nonrefundable.

    Grants are designed to cover expenses in School such as tuition fees, books and supplies, accommodation fee, etc.

    Grants vs Scholarships

    There are differences between grants and scholarships. Although both are aimed at assisting students financially, both have different requirements and criteria for selection.

    Scholarships can be obtained through merits or talent and it’s most times given to the brilliant students, while grant can be obtain by student who are in needs of financial support and maybe can be obtained also by merits.

    Check out: list of available scholarships for students

    Before applying for any grant, it is advisable to know the kind of grant you are applying.

    There are different types of grants, and knowing the type of grant will help you know how to go about it.

    Type of Student Grants

    There are many grants available for students to apply for. The following are the major types of grant you need to know;

    1. Federal Grants
    2. State Grants
    3. School-based Grants
    4. Private Grants

    Related articles:

    List of Federal Grants for Students 2023

    Grants for Students. Free Financial Aid Grants for Students

    Federal grants are usually provided by the Federal Government for students attending universities/colleges, and also career schools.

    There four main kinds of Federal grants for students, and these grants are:

    • Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
    • Pell Grant
    • Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant
    • Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant (TEACH)

    Related Articles:

    1. Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG):

    This grant is for undergraduate students who demonstrate exceptional financial need.

    Amount:

    Qualified students will receive between $100 and $4,000 every year, depending on their financial need. Other factors that will determine are;

    1. The time you applied
    2. The amount of other aid you get
    3. The availability of funds at your school

    Grant link: Visit the grant website here

    2. Pell Grant:

    The Pell grant is for students who demonstrate economic need. The Pell grant is mostly a commonly-awarded grant.

    This Federal Pell grants are awarded to undergraduate students who have displayed an exceptional financial need.

    Such student at the time of application, must not earn any of the following degrees:

    1. Professional degree
    2. Graduate degree
    3. Bachelor’s degree

    Amount:

    This Pell grant does not have a fix award amount. The amount you will be awarded can change yearly.

    The maximum amount you can receive from the Federal Pell Grant award is $6,895.

    Grant link: Visit the grant website here

    3. Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant

    The Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants offer free money to students in college or career school whose parents died as a result of military deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan after event of 9/11.

    Amount:

    The amount awarded on the Iraq and Afghanistan Service grant is equal to the amount of a maximum Federal Pell Grant for the award year.

    Note: The awarded amount cannot exceed your cost of attendance for that award year. For the Iraq and Afghanistan Service grant, beneficiaries can get up to $6,895.

    Grant link: Visit the grant website here

    4. Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant (TEACH):

    The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant (TEACH) is a grant for students who agree to teach in high-need fields.

    Amount:

    The TEACH Grant Program provides grants of up to $4,000 a year to students who are planning to become teachers in a high-need field in a low-income school.

    Grant website: Visit the grant website here

    NASFAA State Grants for Students

    State Grants is given by state government for student in the state unlike federal grants which can be obtain by student across the nation. State grants are only given to students within the state.

    This grant are given to keep students employed in their alma mater state and it’s awarded in large.

    Amount:

    The amount awarded for this grant varies from $2000 per student but the average award is $500 in twenty one states.

    Grant link: Visit the grant link here

    School-based Grants for Students

    School grants are given by schools to students and it is one of the best place to obtain grant as a students.

    According to the college board between 2010 and 2020, grant aid from schools have increased by about 71.8% with an average awards of about $17,250 per students.

    Meanwhile, each school has their own specific grants for their students. Students are offered grants based on their financial needs.

    Example of a Schools that offer grants to students is the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill student grant.

    List of Private Grants for Students

    Private grants are given by Organizations, individuals, private sectors, NGO, etc.

    Majority of the grants offered to students are private grants. There are so many privates grants out there. But the best among such grants are:

    1. Trade Unions Grants
    2. Philanthropic Institution Grants
    3. Professional Associations Grants
    4. Corporations and Businesses Grants
    5. Advocacy Groups Grants
    6. Religion Institutions Grants

    Best and Popular Grants for Students 2023

    While there are many grants awarded by Organizations, Individuals, companies, State, Government, Schools, Religious groups and so, the following have stood out to be the best and most popular grants that you should always look out for as a student.

    1. Pell Grant
    2. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) Grants
    3. Smart Grants
    4. Academic Competitive Grants ( ACG)
    5. Teach Grants

    There are many more grants that you can research on but these are just the best grants for you to apply for as a student.

    How to Apply for a Grant and Get Awarded?

    It is not enough to just file an application for grants. Most times, you need to go extra mile to get things work for you. As such, I have highlighted some ways in which you can apply for a grant and get accepted below.

    Also, it’s good to know that grants can be obtain through different process. The best steps to take are;

    Step 1: Fill Out FAFSA

    This should be your first step to getting a grant. In case you don’t know the meaning of FAFSA, FAFSA simply means Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

    As the name implies, FAFSA is the simplest, easiest and most reliable source and means of filing your application for a grant.

    FAFSA is a free form that you can fill at a time to apply to as many grants as possible. Most schools applications for grants usually open during October but deadline varies.

    2. Fill Out Additional Forms

    After filling the FAFSA forms, you may also be required to fill an additional form like the CSS profile. This is not applicable to all grants.

    How to know? Any grant that requires the filling of CSS profile will be duly stated to the applicants as part of the application process.

    Note: if you want to apply for any grant that is not hosted via the FAFSA, then you will need to fill the application form directly via the application link for the grant.

    Step 3: Compilation Of Documents

    Documents such as Recommendations letters, personal essays and some necessary information are mostly needed for the application for grants.

    If you have uploaded these documents already to your FAFSA profile, you always file application to grants hosted on FAFSA without needing to upload documents again.

    Step 4: Monitoring the Progress:

    It’s not enough to apply for a grant without following up.This is a very important aspect of it, but many students have made mistake when it comes to this.

    After applying for a grant, you have to monitor the progress of your application by visiting your email on daily basis or keeping your phone contact active.

    While processing and evaluating your application/documents, the may be need to contact you for further verification, either through email or direct phone contact. So always stay updated.

    Conclusion:

    With this wonderful information, I believe you have known the current grants that are available for students who need financial aid. Do well to share and feel free to drop a comment below.

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