government education grants

Government Education Grants

The Obama administration has almost doubled the funding made available through government education grants for people looking to get a higher education. Read to know more on these grants...

The US congress enacted the health care and education reconciliation act of 2010 under which many crucial reforms were made to government education grants, student loan structure, and health care. Education grants are geared towards helping deserving students from low income families realizing their dream of a good education. Many bright students can't afford to take a loan for their education and therefore discontinue their studies due to lack of financial aid. The government has recognized this fact and has made available grants for such marginalized students. The financial assistance you get in the form of a grant need not be repaid and hence is the most preferred option for students from low income families and minority communities. Some of the government funds are for a target audience, for example there are grants for single mothers. There are several grants that help students across America get a good education and make them ready for gainful employment. Some of the government grants that help students are Federal Pell Grants, National SMART Grant, and TEACH Grant. The US government has realized the importance of education and has even set aside billions of dollars as grants under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. For equipping America's next generation to compete in the global arena, education is going to play a key role. Education grants and scholarships will go a long way in helping students achieve this goal. To get education grants, one of the basic criteria is to fill the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Application and deadline dates, and all the other relevant information regarding this form is available on the FAFSA government education website. Education grants, for unemployed, minority communities, and students from low income families, have helped many get a good education. Some of the education grants for women and other aspiring students are: Pell Grants The maximum reward given under the Pell grants for students for the year 2010 - 2011 was USD 5,500. The Obama government has invested nearly 40 billion dollars in the federal Pell grants to help students, especially women. The Pell grants are mostly given for students looking to pursue undergraduate programs. Contact the financial aid office of your college for details about the participating institutes for this program. There are over 5,000 educational institutes who participate in the Pell Grants program. SMART Grant The National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (SMART) is available for students in their third or fourth year of undergraduate study. To be eligible for this continuing education grant, you need to be at least enrolled half time for an educational course. These grants do not consider distance learning or online programs. This grant provides up to USD 4,000 to eligible students for each of the third and fourth year of study. The students are also required to maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0. TEACH Grant It is one of the grants for teachers which gives up to USD 4,000 per year to students who intend to teach in schools serving students from low income families. After receiving this grant, you are required to teach for at least 4 academic years over a period of 8 years in schools that serve students from low income families. If you fail to honor your commitment, the grant amount will be turned in to an unsubsidized federal loan. Academic Competitiveness Grant This grant is given to the recipient of the Pell grant only if the combination of both does not exceed the course fee. Under this grant, students are eligible for USD 750 for the first year of study and USD 1,300 for the second year of study. Like all other government grants, you need to fill an application form and need to be a US citizen or eligible non citizen. Education grants are helping students across America and it is advisable to apply for them, even if you think the process is complicated. A substantial amount out of the 275 billion dollars from the economic stimulus package is allocated for education grants. If you are planning for further education it would be wise to fill the FAFSA form.

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