College In Colorado

Grants are considered need-based aid because the expected family contribution (EFC) calculated in your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) indicates you cannot afford to go to college using only your own or your family's financial resources. Grants are also considered gift aid because they do not have to be paid back. It is important that you file the FAFSA by the school's priority date to be considered for all grants you may be eligible to receive at the college you plan to attend.

• Federal Pell Grant

  Pell grants are awarded to undergraduate students who will earn their first bachelor's or professional degree and who have high financial need determined by the FAFSA. If you qualify for the Pell grant, the federal government will ensure you will receive it when you attend an institution of higher education.

  Information from the FAFSA will determine the maximum amount of Pell grant money you can receive. The amount of the grant will also depend on your cost of attendance, how long you are enrolled in the academic year and your enrollment status as a full-time, three-quarter-time, half-time or less-than-half-time student. Award amounts are specified on Payment Schedules released by the U.S. Department of Education prior to each award year.

  For the 2008-09 academic year (July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009), the maximum Pell grant is $4,731 with the minimum at $400. The 2007-2008 maximum was $4,310.

• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

  Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant funds are awarded to undergraduate students who will earn their first bachelor’s or professional degree and who have high financial need as determined by the FAFSA. Students who are eligible for Pell grants receive priority for FSEOG awards.

  Colleges and universities, community colleges, vocational schools and career schools receive limited amounts of FSEOG funds from the federal government, and the amount may vary each academic year depending upon how much Congress appropriated for that year. The school awards these limited funds based upon its own policies and strict guidelines from the federal government.

  FSEOG awards range from a minimum of $100 to around $4,000, depending on the school's awarding policy. While this amount sounds high, schools seldom receive enough funds to award higher amounts.

• Teach Grant Program

  The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program provides grants of up to $4,000 per year to students who intend to teach in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves students from low-income families.

  The first TEACH Grants will be awarded to eligible students for the 2008-2009 school year. In exchange for receiving a TEACH Grant, you must agree to serve as a full-time teacher for at least four academic years in a high-need field in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves low-income students.

  High-need fields include bilingual education and English language acquisition, foreign language, mathematics, reading specialist, science, special education and other identified teacher shortage areas at the time you begin teaching.

  For complete information on the eligibility requirements and agreement to serve, visit Student Aid on the Web and contact the financial aid office at the college where you will be enrolled starting with the 2008-2009 school year.

• Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)

  Beginning with the 2006-2007 financial aid award year, an eligible student may receive an Academic Competitiveness Grant of $750 for the first academic year of study and $1,300 for the second academic year of study. The U.S. Department of Education will notify you, as determined by your FAFSA, whether you may qualify for this grant. Your college will determine whether you have met all of the eligibility requirements as follows before you are awarded this grant:

  • U.S. citizenship
    
    
  • Received a Federal Pell grant
    
    
  • Enrolled in your first or second academic year of a program of study at a two- or four-year college that is degree-granting
    
    
  • Enrollment as a full-time student in a degree program
    
    
  • Complete a rigorous secondary school program of study (after January 1, 2006 if you are a first-year college student or after January 1, 2005 if you are a second-year college student).
    
    
  • For a first-year student, no previous enrollment in an undergraduate program or, for a second-year student achievement of at least a cumulative 3.0 grade point average (based on a 4.0 scale) for the first academic year.
  
  
  
• National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grant Program

  Beginning with the 2006-2007 financial aid award year you may be eligible to receive a National SMART Grant of $4,000 for each of your third and fourth academic years of study. Your college will determine whether you have met all of the eligibility requirements as follows before you are awarded this grant:

  • U.S. citizenship
    
    
  • Completion of the FAFSA
    
    
  • Received a federal Pell grant
    
    
  • Enrolled in a four-year college that is degree-granting
    
    
  • Enrolled in a full-time student in a degree program
    
    
  • Pursuit of a major in physical, life or computer science, engineering, mathematics, technology or a critical foreign language
    
    
  • At least a cumulative 3.0 grade point average (based on a 4.0 scale) in college.
  
  
  If you have questions regarding any of the eligibility requirements for either the ACG or SMART grant visit the U.S. Department of Education information page or contact your college financial aid office.