March 2, 2010
Receiving Your Education Online To Further Your Career
Financial aid you never have to repay. That's what a federal grant is and the money is available to help you pay for your education. The Department of Education has tens of thousands of dollars for students looking to get their degrees.
The first step is filling out a "free application for federal student aid or an FAFSA. The forms are available on-line and in hard copy. Check out the U-S Department of Education website to download your FAFSA. The application makes students eligible for not only Pell Grants but all federal, state, and some institutional college loans programs. The FAFSA takes a little time, but the money can be used at one of more than five thousand educational institutions. If you don't own a computer, remember you can always use your local library.
Pell Grants are based on financial need to students pursuing a bachelors or professional degree. The federal government chooses students using a formula determined by the U-S Congress. More than 90% of Pell Grant recipients come from families earning less than $41,000 a year.
Pell Grants are considered a foundation for Federal financial aid. That means other pell grant application can be added to the amount. There are hundreds of other grants and scholarships. Some are offered for specific degrees, like nursing or careers in public service. Some states also offer their own grant programs. However, you cannot receive Federal grants from more than one school at a time.
To get a Pell Grant for an online degree program, you will generally need to study a field that is in short supply, such as science or education. There are other grants available specifically for online students. For students with grave financial need there is the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant. The Academic Competitiveness Grant benefits students who graduated from an academically rigorous high school program.
The amount of money a student gets is determined not only by financial need, but also tuition costs and enrollment. There is even special assistance if a student lost a parent or guardian died in military service after the September 11, 2001 attacks. The same amount is given to each student each year, which makes budgeting for your education easier.
There is more online grant than ever for the 2010 to 2011 school year. Each student can now receive up to $5,500 a year. The Federal government pays the money at least twice during the academic year. It may go directly to the student or towards tuition.
If you want to go to college or earn your degree online, The Department of Education can help. Check out their website for more information on available grants. Simply filling out an application may make your education financially feasible.
Filed under African American Scholarships by Cathy