Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the key to receiving low-interest loans from the government. It is the only application you need to complete to receive federal grants such as the Pell Grant and the National Science & Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grant. To be eligible for the SMART Grant, you must have declared your major in mathematics, technology, engineering, computer science, a critical foreign language, a life science or a physical science. Furthermore, you have to be enrolled at least half-time, have a 3.0 grade point average, be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen and be in your third or fourth year of your undergraduate studies. If you meet all of these requirements, fill out your FAFSA to determine if your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is low enough for you to receive the National SMART Grant.
Instructions
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1
Call the financial aid department at your school and ask when the FAFSA is due.
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2
Go online to the FAFSA home page (see Resources section).
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3
Complete the FAFSA prior to the deadline set by your school.
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4
Call the financial aid office and set up an appointment to speak with a financial aid adviser a few weeks after submitting the completed FAFSA.
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Ask the adviser if you are eligible for the Pell Grant, which would automatically make you eligible for the SMART Grant, too, as long as you meet the academic criteria.