The California Student Aid Commission sponsors the Cal Grant Program, a grant program for California residents who are enrolled in a university at least half-time. Students interested in applying for the grant should have good academic standing, not be in default on any student loans or owe federal or state grant refunds, and have family assets and income below a minimum set by the California Education Code. Grant requests cannot exceed $1551, and students can use the monies for living expenses, books and supplies, and transportation costs associated with schooling.
The Federal Pell Grant program is one of the most well-known grant programs in the United States, with funds available at over 5,400 universities and post-secondary institutions. Sponsored by the United States Department of Education, the Pell Grant provides money to needy students for living expenses, tuition fees and supplies. Students may only receive the Pell Grant for one school at a time, and the amount of funding the Pell Grant offers is individually tailored to students using a complex equation.
The State of Maryland's Higher Education Commission sponsors the State Nursing Scholarship and Living Expenses Grant, a grant worth up to $4,500 that is awarded to nursing students maintaining a 3.0 grade point average and enrolled in a Maryland university. Students receiving the award must sign a promissory note stating they will work as a nurse in a Maryland medical facility for at least one year for each year of grant money received. Once a student receives the grant, it can be automatically renewed as long as the original prerequisites are still met.