Whether you're applying for federal, state or institutional grants, every student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This FAFSA is a federal form students complete to determine their financial eligibility for vocational training grants, such as Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants (SEOG), and various state and institutional money.
Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants (SEOG) are for undergraduates with extreme need, and those receiving Pell Grants are given priority concern for this award. It can range from $100 to $4,000.
Federal Pell Grants range from $400 to $4,050 and are awarded to undergraduate students with an EFC--the amount a family is expected to contribute toward education--less than $3,850 as determined by filing the FAFSA, which determines both eligibility and the amount of the award.
Several Internet resources have become valuable sources of private aid. It is worth doing your own research. The FastWeb database holds over a million scholarships worth more than $3 billion.
There may be grants available through community organizations that are not common knowledge or advertised in databases like FastWeb. States and vocational schools offer a variety of grants. To find those, it is best to consult with a financial aid counselor at your local vocational technical college. Through their unemployment office, states may also offer other grants to assist you.
Federal grants have one deadline and states have their own. It is important to meet these deadlines. For example, students who submit their FAFSA early may get the SEOG before other students.