All federal aid at both the undergraduate and graduate level, including grants, is dictated by the student's FAFSA application, which determines a student's Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and what types of loans or grants the student is eligible for based on their EFC. Most graduate students are eligible only for loans, but those planning to become a teacher may be eligible for the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program. This grant provides up to $4,000 per year for students who agree to serve as a teacher in a "high-need" field in a school that serves low-income students. Students who are enrolled in a post-baccalaureate teaching certification program may also be eligible for federal Pell Grants, which can cover up to $5,500, as of 2010. Students may access, complete and submit the FAFSA at Fafsa.ed.gov.
Graduate students enrolled in a program that will prepare them for a job in a certain field may be eligible for grants from the federal department that covers that field. For example, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers a scholarship program for low-income students planning to attend graduate school for a health profession, including medicine, dentistry, behavioral or mental health (including psychiatry and counseling graduate schools) and nursing. Students apply for this grant through the financial aid office of the school where they intend to enroll.
Some state governments offer financial aid--including grants--to graduate students. This aid is more common for students in high-need areas, the definition of which varies by state. Students should check their state's website to see if they are eligible for any graduate school financial aid. For example, the Kansas state government offers a number of grants to prospective or current graduate students, including grants for optometry, medical and dental schools; a list of all grants offered by the Kansas state government, as well as an application for the grants, may be found at Kansasregents.org. Unlike the aid applied for with the FAFSA, which awards assistance based only on financial status, state government financial aid may be merit-based.