Individuals who apply for government grants to pay for school are screened to determine if they meet the criteria. Applicants must submit income information with their application to prove their financial need. If the application is approved, they may receive enough funds to pay for their entire school tuition.
Government grants can be used to pay for tuition or other school expenses like books. Government grant agencies use the expected family contribution (EFC) formula to determine the amount that will be granted to the applicant. If the numbers in the EFC are low, the applicant will be approved to receive a government grant. If the EFC numbers are high, this means that the applicant has substantial income to provide her own financing for school and she will receive a smaller grant.
If an applicant applies for a government grant and his family's income is more than $20,000 per year, his award may be lower; however, if his family's yearly income is below $20,000, his award may be higher. The applicant is also required to submit his income tax and bank information, and if there is significant amount of money in his bank account, this will affect the amount of the grant.
To receive a government grant for school, the applicant has to have a high school diploma or a General Educational Development (GED) certificate. The applicant also has to be a U.S. citizen. Once the applicant has been approved for a government grant, the funds are distributed directly into the student's school account. The applicant also cannot be in default on any previous federal school loan in order to receive a government education grant.
The types of government grants that an individual can apply for are the Pell Grant and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG). The Federal Pell grant is awarded to undergraduate students who have not yet obtained a bachelor's or graduate degree. The FSEOG is awarded to applicants who have exceptional financial need and the lowest EFC numbers. Unlike the Pell Grant, the FSEOG also depends on the availability of funds at the applicant's school.
Applying for a federal grant is simple and must be filed out every year that the student wishes to receive assistance. College campuses have a paper version of the application in their financial aid offices or it can be requested by calling 1-800-4-FED-AID. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is availble electronically online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. It is accompanied with easy step-by-step instructions. Applicants can find the application process for the FSEOG grant at http://www.fseog.com/fseog-application.shtml. In order to qualify for a FSEOG grant, applicants must have previously filled out an application for a FAFSA grant.