As of August 2010, the federal Pell Grant awards up to $5,500 per grant, typically to undergraduate students who have not previously earned a professional or bachelor's degree. Pell Grant recipients must attend school on a full- or part-time basis, and requires enrollment in a program leading to a certificate or bachelor or associate's degree.
Separately, the full grant amount is offered to students whose parent or legal guardian died while performing military service in Afghanistan or Iraq following Sept. 11, 2001. This offer applies to students under the age of 24, or those enrolled in college on at least a part-time basis when the parent or guardian died.
Pell Grant recipients can receive a maximum of two awards per award year (July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011 for the 2010-to-2011 award year). You must be enrolled at least half-time and in a program that leads to an associate or bachelor's degree or certificate. Students can apply for Pell Grants at college financial aid offices.
The TEACH Grant, established by the U.S. Congress in 2007, awards college students a maximum of $4,000 per year. Administered by the U.S. Department of Education, the TEACH Grant provides financial assistance to students who pursue a teaching career in a private or public school that serves children of low-income households. After completing the program for which the grant was awarded, recipients are required to serve as full-time teachers for a minimum of four years, at a Department of Eduction approved school. The TEACH program offers awards to undergraduate or graduate students who enroll in coursework required for a teaching career. The college they attend must be a TEACH Grant program participant. Academic requirements for grant awards typically include a minimum 3.25 grade point average and a college admissions examination score above the seventy-fifth percentile. Students interested in the TEACH Grant can contact the financial aid office at participating colleges.
Established by the U.S. Congress in 1975, the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation awards funding for students seeking graduate level degrees within the public service sector. The foundation selects students during their junior year and pays up to $30,000 per student for educational funding.
Only students nominated for the scholarship by a faculty representative at their undergraduate institution can apply. At the time of application, students must be enrolled full-time and seeking a bachelor's degree. The foundation allows participating colleges to determine their own application process. Truman Scholarship recipients are required to work in a public service job for a minimum of three years following graduation. Annually, the foundation reviews more than 600 grant applications and awards up to 65 scholarships. The Truman Foundation web site features a data base for students to find faculty representatives at their school.