Some colleges and universities offer grants to select students based on academic success, financial need and other factors. One of these factors is being classified as a transfer student. For instance, William Jessup University, a California college, offers a $1,000 grant each semester to transfers from community colleges, according to the Sacramento Business Journal. Transfer students may also apply for many other grants that universities offer to the general student population, such as financial need grants.
The Pell Grant is the federal grant that most undergraduates who have financial need receive. The amount of the grant, which cannot exceed about $5,500 for each person, is determined by several factors--financial need, amount of school cost, year in school and plans to stay in school. Federal Pell Grants are available to college students--whether they transferred in or not. However, a deadline exists for applications, so transfer students must be aware of their plans and fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid in time to get the award. Deadline information, and an online FAFSA application for federal student aid, can be found at FAFSA.ed.gov (see Resources). Other federal grant opportunities include the Academic Competitiveness Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant and TEACH grant. However, more restrictions are placed on recipients of these grants.
According to College Scholarships.org, nearly every state offers grant opportunities to college students. Some of these grants include funding for minorities, individuals who exhibit financial need and students planning to teach or fulfill some other area of great need. Like federal aid, however, state aid cannot be awarded if the student applies after the deadline. This is why transfer students need to be sure they are aware of their transfer plans and apply before their state's deadline.
Private organizations and foundations often have funds that they put aside for grant money. Some of those grants are made to college students, and some are even reserved for transfer students. For instance, the Jack Kent Coke foundation provides around $30,000 a year to 50 community college students so that they can attend a four-year university.
Jack Kent Coke Foundation
44325 Woodridge Parkway
Lansdowne, Virginia 20176
800-498-6478
jkcf.org