Finding grants for college is a unique process that does require some hard work. If you’d rather not pay a ton of money for college, then you’ll want to find as many grants as you can. Scoring well on your college admission exams is definitely a plus for scoring a grant.
Keep in mind that a grant is something that you don’t pay back. So, once you land a grant, it’s yours to keep. Although there may be some conditions regarding the grant, it’s a lot easier than paying it back altogether, like you would a student loan.
5 Tips for Finding Grants for College
- Make sure you fill out the FAFSA-Pell Grant: If you’ve never filled out the FAFSA, you may not know what the Pell Grant is. It’s the most popular grant divvied out by the Federal Government. The Pell Grant changes each year, but you can receive a maximum of $5,775 for the 2016 school year. However, keep in mind that you may receive less based on what the government determines you are eligible for.
- Go into the right profession–Be a Teacher: One of the best ways for finding grants is all about going into the right profession. Teachers deserve to get some help with their education, if not help with all of it. There are various teach grants out there available to undergraduates with a major in teaching. A Teach Grant is a grant from the Federal Government, and there are stipulations to be aware of when accepting. You can read more about those stipulations here.
- Company Sponsored Grant-Best Buy: A great thing about living in America is how companies give back to the students. Best Buy is one of those companies who has stepped up to give grants to college students. However, a tip for finding grants for college is to look around various organizations to see what they can offer you.
- Look to Aid from your state: Just like the FAFSA can help you land an awesome grant, like the Pell Grant, you can also score other grants from your state department. Each state offers different grants, but it’s totally worth applying! You may get more grants based off of your academic performance in high school. Keep that in mind as you go through your high school years.
- Utilize your circumstances: There are grants awarded to individuals based on their ethnicity and for even being in foster care. There are grants given out to women who want to go to college and students from overseas. The point being, you never know what you qualify for, until you actually look and apply for these grants.
When it comes to finding grants for college, there is no shortage. It’s really about putting the hard work into finding the right one for you!
Seek out how to pay for college without using loans.
What tips do you have for finding grants for college?
My oldest is going to college this fall. Thanks for the info!