College grants provide one of the best possible ways to pay for your education. They are distributed widely, easy to apply for and provide ample sums of money for students who need them. However, finding grants can be difficult if you are not sure where to look for them.
Searching for grants is relatively simple so long as you know where sources of grants come from. Our website is a good starting point to discovering the different types of grants available to students. Providing the resources you need to find and investigate different grant programs, below are some tips to get you on your way.
Searching for Federal Grants
Federal college grants are in fact relatively easy to search for. Whether you’re just graduating from high school or an adult returning to college there is not much you need to do to find and apply for all the different federally funded grant programs. When you complete fill out a FAFSA you are automatically applying for ALL the grant programs available through federal financial aid. This includes the Pell Grant, FSEOG and Federal Work Study Program.
For graduate students, college grants provided by the FAFSA will not apply to you. However, if you’re working on research or dissertation projects that may be of use to one of the federal government departments, there could be one or many federally funded grants for graduate students available to aid your research and studies. A good place to begin your search is with federal departments related to your field of studies.
Searching for State Grants
Although most state college grants are funded by government money, they differ widely to federal grants. Many state based financial aid programs are only available to state resident students and combine financial need with academic merit whereas federal grants are available to all undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need.
Information about the grants available in your state can be found by visiting your states Department of Education website; additionally you can discuss your finance aid options with a school or college finaid advisor. Often students will be required to complete a FAFSA application to apply for state funded aid. In some circumstances, depending on your state or particular state grant you are applying for, you may also be required complete additional grant application forms.
Searching for Private Funded Grants
Not many students (and very few financial aid advisors) know much about the different private funded college grant programs available to U.S. college goers. In fact, private grants are not very often talked about, although they can provide an excellent source of financial aid in addition to federal grants. These grants are often merit orientated and require applicants to have a good GPA, however some will be a combination of merit and financial need.
Companies, corporations, organizations and foundations usually administer privately funded grants, however they tend to be slightly more difficult to find. Searching online for grant programs related to your major and with companies that work in your career area will reveal any current opportunities. Although this rout may take a little time and persistence, grant money from private sources can be an additional financial lifeline, as they don’t ever need to be paid back.