subject: Education Grants [print this page] Education grants are probably the post plentiful group of grants available. These grants are funds set aside to provide students, in a difficult financial position, with the funds needed to attend college. The money for this funding often comes from universities, private organizations, large corporations, and wealthy individuals. And they arent always known strictly as grants; sometimes these gifts of money are also referred to as scholarships, or endowments.
In order to apply for an educational grant, you will need to fill out your FAFSA application. Additionally, the university you have chosen to attend may require you to fill out their own personal Student Aid Report. From these two documents, your university and the U.S. Department of Education will determine your eligibility for education grants or scholarships. On top of this, the information you provide on your FAFSA application with also give the Department of Education a good idea of what your familys expected financial contribution will be towards your college expenses. This determines the amount of money you will receive in the form of your educational grant.
And while low-income grants are one form of education grants offered; there are also educational grants awarded on merit. These are given to high school and college students in recognition of their academic, athletic, and artistic achievements. Such awards may also be given to students in acknowledgment of their extracurricular activities or community service. Then there are some merit based grants that are dependent upon your personal characteristics. A minority scholarship would be the most common example of one of these awards.
There are many online tools and personalized search engines to help you out in your search for the appropriate education grant or scholarship for your needs. As you continue to investigate scholarship databases, it is important to be certain that you meet the eligibility criteria before you apply for the desired grant. It would be awful to put forth the effort of writing a college essay and filling out the paperwork for an education grant only to be disqualified because you did not carefully read the eligibility requirements.
And keep in mind that because educational grant money tends to be dispersed rather quickly, the earlier you begin your search and apply, the better chances you have of successfully acquiring your desired education grant.
