According to the federal Pell Grant program, independent students are eligible for a Pell Grant if they have not earned their first bachelor's degree. Students who have earned their first bachelor's degree are eligible if they are in certain programs, including some teacher certification programs. Students are only eligible for the grant if they are in a state of extreme financial need. Financial aid officers examine students' assets and income to see whether the students could afford their own tuition. The aid officers take into account what students owe, which means that students need to make note if they have taken out student loans.
Independent students go about getting a Pell Grant by filing the FAFSA online. If students are independent, they do not need their parents' financial information to complete the application. They must provide financial aid officers with information about their income and assets. If they are married, they need to provide information about their husband's or wife's finances also. Students should be honest about each detail of the FAFSA because the financial aid officers scrutinize it closely and have the applicant fix anything that looks wrong. Applicants should fill out the FAFSA early, because financial aid officers have more money to give out early in the year.
Independent students can gain valuable information about other grants from a school's financial aid department. While the federal Pell Grant is the most popular grant for independent students, there are many state grants. States typically consider whether you are a resident and may not care that you have independent status. Some schools might provide certain students with grants from their own funds if the students are having major financial hardships. Speaking with the financial aid office can help you with grants for minority status and for specific programs with the school. Although you need financial help for being independent, you might be able to take advantage of other issues in your life.