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College grants are free money given to students by both federal and state governments. Also, they are one of the favorite methods when it comes to Financial Aid. Very often these awards do not have to be repaid. They should be one of your first strategies of financing your education.

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Free College Grants - What They Really Are And How To Apply

World is in a recession. The economic slowdown is bigger than any slowdowns we have seen in our lifetime. This means we are in a time period where it is a good idea to stop doing what we are doing and rethink our life strategy. In this period we can improve our competitiveness and master few trades, or skills that will help us in our professional life later on.

For many of us in order to improve it will mean to receive higher education. I believe now is the best time to enroll in some kind of a college or university. This creates a small problem: enrolling and receiving higher education costs money. Some of you are thinking this makes no sense, how come will I be able to pay for college in an economic slowdown? The answer is easy. US Government provides many Education Grants for students who want to go to college. If free money for school excites you, please read on.

What are Free College Grants?
College grants are awards given to students by both federal and state governments. Also, they are one of the favorite methods when it comes to Financial Aid. Very often these awards do not have to be repaid. They should be one of your first strategies of financing your education. Education grants are awarded based on financial need, eligibility and funds availability. This implies they are distributed on first come first serve basis. Education Grants can pay for tuition and other college related expenses. These government education grants exist for both undergraduate and graduate students.

In 2009-2010 school year our government awarded $26,265,147,289 in total federal college grants. The average award across college grants per student per year was $2,278 with the maximum award being $5,350. That is a lot of money per student. It is definitely well worth it to apply for school grants.

Here I'm going to list of some of the most important college grants we are going to talk about. They are: Pell Grants, TEACH Grants, National SMART Grants, Academic Competitiveness Grants (ACG), and Federal Supplemental Edu. Opportunity Grants (FSEOG). Let us review these common government programs and see what they have to offer.

Pell College Grants
They are the heart of education programs. It is also the foundation for financial aid. This great award was formerly called: Basic Educational Opportunity Grants (BEOGs). It is your first funding when it comes to college financial help. Other types of financial aid and other college grants supplement this grant. As with most of the college grants this award does not have to be repaid. This program carries the most money and is the first program you will be considered for when you submit your FAFSA application.

In 2009-2010 the average award for one academic year was $3,611. President Obama has proposed to increase the budget. The new proposal would raise the maximum award by $200, to $5,550 for the 2010-11 academic year. This would make additional 260,000 students eligible for this program.

The award amount depends on: student's expected family contribution, cost of attendance, student's enrollment status, whether the student attends for a full year or less.

TEACH College Grants
Otherwise also known as The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Program is a brand new program for those who want to become teachers. This program was created through the College Cost Reduction and Access Act. The purpose of this program was to find more teachers. Students must agree to teach after they graduate.

In this category the average award is $2,941 per academic year and the TEACH award provides funding up to $4,000 per year to applicants who want to teach in a public or private elementary, or secondary school with one important condition: the school has to server students from low income families.

Students who graduate but do not complete the required teaching service will have to pay off the award as it will turn into a unsubsidized loan, where interest will have to be paid from the date the TEACH award was disbursed. College students who want to receive this need to agree to serve as full time teachers. The teaching will need to be for 4 academic years and it has to be performed within the 8 calendar years of the graduation date. Applicants do not have to show financial need in order to be eligible for this program.

National SMART College Grants
The SMART program is also well known as National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent. National Smart program was established by The Higher Education Reconciliation Act as a main program to meet the growing need for math and science instruction. SMART Grants are available during the third and fourth year of undergraduate study only. The purpose of this program was to support students majoring in physics, mathematics, technology, engineering, life, computer science, critical foreign language, or non major single liberal arts program. National SMART grants are only available as the supplement to the Pell Grant. One must receive the Pell first, before being able to receive money from the SMART Grant.

Maximum award is $4000 in academic years: three and four. Applicants must meet eligibility requirements in addition to a high GPA score of at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Academic Competitiveness Education Grants (ACG)
ACG Established by The Higher Education Reconciliation Act carries a role of a supplement to the Pell program. This is a sister to National SMART Grant. Academic Competitiveness Grants are available to students for their first and second academic years of college. Later on students can use the SMART programs for their third and fourth academic year. This is a fairly new program helping those applicants who take challenging high school courses and those who pursue challenging college majors. Students must receive the Pell College Grant first, before being eligible for the Academic Competitiveness program.

About $790 millions have been designated to the program in 2006-07 academic year and this program will have 4.5 billion over the next few years. Maximum award is $4,000 and in 2009 the average award per student per year was $787. In order to qualify for this grant, students must meet the rigorous secondary school program of study requirements. It is worth noting that not all students who receive federal Pell awards are eligible for this ACG grant.

Federal Supplemental Edu. Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity or sometimes abbreviated to FSEOG, is federal financial aid program for students with exceptional financial need. Just like with most other programs the money does not have to be repaid as long as the student remains eligible. Since this program works on financial need basis, students who apply first will have the first chance of being awarded. If you are a student who is a Pell program recipient with the lowest expected family contribution you will be considered first for the program.

Maximum award in this program is $4,000 and in 2009 the average award per student in one academic year was $787. This particular award is designed for undergraduate students only. Funding for it is very limited. Make sure to be one of the first applicants in order to be considered.

Other Grants
On top of the famous free government programs mentioned above, students can apply for other programs that will help them pay for their education. Some of the institutions that provide college grants to students are: states, colleges and universities, public institutions, and private organizations. Check with your school or state for more information on the programs they provide.

Who is Eligible for Free College Grants?
Free college grants were designed mostly for undergraduate students, but graduate students may receive these free college grants in some cases. In order to be eligible students must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment before they apply. Weather money is awarded or not will depend on your FAFSA application result. Very often the school will make the decision if you qualify for certain state or school based awards. Sometimes schools are not able to decide automatically. In this scenario you may be required to apply to the administrator in order to be considered for a particular award.

When you fill out your FAFSA forms, the information from that application is used to calculate the Expected Family Contribution, or EFC. This EFC report determines whether the student is eligible for a Pell program or not. EFC stands for Expected Family Contribution. This EFC is the number that is used to determine your eligibility for federal financial aid. This number results from the financial information you provided in your FAFSA application. Your EFC is reported to you on your Student Aid Report (SAR).

How to Apply?
Most programs are provided by the federal government, so you apply by submitting your FAFSA application. For other non federal programs you have to find the administrative contact for the grant. You may contact him directly and see what the enrollment process is for that specific program.

Where to Apply
You can apply on our website or on Federal Student Aid Information website.
Federal Student Aid Information Center
Phone: 1-800-433-3243
TDD: 1-800-730-8913
8 a.m. to 8 p.m., M-F (EST)
Email: fsa.customer.support@ed.gov
Phone: 1-800-621-3115 - Default Resolution Group
Phone: 1-800-557-7392 - Direct Loan Consolidation
Phone: 1-888-869-4169 - Disability Discharge Loan Servicing
Phone: 1-800-433-3243 - Federal Student Aid Information
Phone: 1-202-377-3800 - Office of the Ombudsman FSA

Important Questions for Free College Grants
Q: Can I apply for student grants if I have a student loan?
This question comes up a lot. Yes, you can apply for student grants if you have a student loan. You can always apply for grants, even if you have a student loan as long as you did not default on your college loan. To be honest I would apply for programs even if I was in default on my student loan. Chances are you'll find a program that will give you college grants for your education even though you ran into debt problems. It does not hurt to try. Make sure to be legitimate.

Q: Can I receive education grants if I'm enrolled less than half-time?
Yes, you can receive awards if you are enrolled less than half time but you will be able to receive only the Federal Pell and the FSEOG. Moreover, you may not receive as much as if you were enrolled full-time. For the ACG and the National SMART Grant, you must be enrolled full-time.

Q: What is the most important requirement in order to receive college grants?
In most scenarios college grants are awarded based on your financial situation. If you are in a financial need college grants may be awarded to you. In a scenario where you are a wealthy student, money may not be awarded. I believe the most important tip in receiving college grants is speed. You must be one of the first students to submit your application. I'm sure there will be more than one student in financial need, and we know at this point college money is limited.

To Sum it All Up
Education grants exist if you are willing to receive higher education and you do not want to pay for it using your own money. When looking for financial aid, college grants are the first thing you should look for as they mostly do not have to be repaid. It is free money for your education. Everyone should apply since these programs were built for everyone in mind. Worst case scenario you may receive less than full amount, but you should be awarded some money.

You made your first step by reading to the end of this article and the next step for you is to fill out and submit your FAFSA application. If you stop right here you wasted time reading the above text. Do not waste time, visit our website and find out more information. In case you are awarded money, visit us back and share your success with us. Good luck.

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Budget: 34 billion dollars for business
Budget: 100 million dollars for small business

Free federal money dedicated to small companies. If your company sells products (exports) oversees you have high chances of receiving free funds from the federal organizations. The government wants you to keep exporting in order to cut down trade deficit and create jobs. For those firms located in the rural areas the federal and state governments offer financial opportunities in order to improve that local area. These free awards act like a stimulus. It is an everyone win deal. You gain money that does not have to be reimbursed and people get employed. Companies with ethnic and minority oriented employees can also apply.

Average Award: $3,611 for 2009-2010
Max Award: $5,550 for 2010-2011

This is the hottest education grant. Using free money from this program American students receive higher education for free. It is estimated that students pay on average from about $200 to $1,000 more per year for school. Why pay so much if the budget for Pell Grants was just increased where 260,000 more students would become eligible. You apply for this award by submitting your FAFSA application. Financial information from the application determines your eligibility. The amount depends on: Student's Expected Family Contribution (EFC), Cost Of Attendance, Student's Enrollment Status.

Average Grant: $2,278 for 2009-2010
Maximum Grant: $5,550 for 2010-2011

Free college grants pay for you post secondary education. You will receive the diploma without having to pay off anything. No more student loans, and you do not have to pay out of pocket for school. There are many programs for those with and without financial need. If you're studying to become a teacher the TEACH program will pay for all the costs. Very smart student should research the National SMART award. Money is given to those who are pursuing rigorous college majors. Pell award is the main component for college programs. Everyone should apply for government grants as it offers money to anybody.

Educational Foundation Minimum: $500
Educational Foundation Maximum: $5000

Women can receive federal aid for many different reasons. Women are treated as minorities in the realm of federal programs. They can apply for federal aid as minorities and chances are they will get it. Those females who are thinking of opening a business, or they already own a company, there are many business oriented awards to help them boost their ventures. Single mothers are not left alone. They can apply for federal and state assistance as well. One type of assistance for single mothers is affordable housing. Their rent can be paid and the money is completely free. Nurses are promoted and free funds are offered.

Min Award: $500
Max Award: $50,000

Personal awards help you pay off your everyday expenses. This is a big category of financial assistance aimed at the individual. Free money from these program can run up high up to $50,000. Personal assistance covers the following needs: women assistance, medical needs, senior needs, children needs, disability needs, debt assistance needs, transportation assistance, life related needs, and more. It is common to to obtain financial help for paying off mortgages and other bills. Women related assistance is a big part of this type of help. Females applying for these programs are very often rewarded with free money.

Minimum Grant: $500
Maximum Grant: $50,000

Housing assistance target all aspects of housing. Government organizations want to make housing available and more affordable to citizens. They help you pay rent, offer money to build or rehabilitate a house, or help citizens with real estate investments in general. Great free money programs for all Americans. The main program is called The Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It is a US department that concentrates on delivering financial help to American communities. Families with low income, homeless, the elderly, and people with disabilities, can receive HUD assistance making living more affordable.

Minimum Assistance: $500
Maximum Assistance: $50,000

Minority grants offer free money. They target women, people with different ethnic background, Native Americans, skin color, and more. Federal organizations concentrate their resources on those minority classified people in order to equalize the society. Many opportunities exists for those who are eligible. Often citizens do not know they are a minority. For example: women are considered minorities for these awards. First you check if you are eligible. It may turn out you are a minority. In that case you should apply for government money. Those who operate a business and hire minorities are entitled to government grants.

Min Assistance: $500
Max Assistance: $50,000

Nurses are almost guaranteed to receive free education as their profession is in demand. This high demand created many different opportunities. Both federal and state governments provide free money programs to promote the nursing profession. Those who are willing to become a nurse will receive their education for free. The money does not have to be repaid. This is a great strategy to get a college diploma at no cost. State awards and awards for minority nurses also exist. In a situation where nursing is what you want to do apply for federal and state assistance with your FAFSA application.

Budget: 34 billion dollars for business
Budget: 100 million dollars for small business

Business grants are delivered from the federal organizations to companies thorough United States. Those companies who export (sell products oversee) have a great shot at receiving free government money. The idea behind these programs is to make sure companies keep exporting goods in order to cut down trade deficit. This also creates local jobs. For business located in rural areas there are federal assistance programs as well. These companies improve the economics of that local area and the federal government uses them as a local stimulus. Free money for your enterprise.

Average Award: $2,278 for 2009-2010
Maximum Award: $5,550 for 2010-2011

School grants will help you pay for your entire or partial education cost. This includes post secondary education, training, college diploma, nursing schools, and more. You can complete any education course you want without having to pay off anything. You are not required to take any student loans. No money out of pocket will be used either. Many school programs offer free government money to those those with, or without financial need. If you want to become a teacher the TEACH award will help you achieve that. Smart applicants can utilize the National SMART award. Pell Grant is the main award.

Average Award: $2,278 for 2009-2010
Maximum Award: $5,550 for 2010-2011

Education grants are probably the most important grants within the country. They invest into the future by education our young adults. Free money is given to those students who are willing to receive higher education. Undergraduate and graduate students are eligible for these programs. It does not matter what school or major you are trying to pursue, there are free government money for those who need it as most of the programs are need based. Use your FAFSA application as the main application for education awards and have your schooling paid by someone else. The Pell program is growing and more students are eligible.

Minimum Grant: $500
Maximum Grant: $50,000

Home assistance concentrates on providing financial help to all aspects of housing. Our federal organizations have a plan to provide affordable housing and rental assistance to citizens. Most of these program can make citizens eligible for free rent, or free money to build a new home. First time home buyers who can qualify for a mortgage can take advantage of the the federal home awards as home ownership is promoted. Moreover, citizens can receive monetary aid with real estate investments. If the investment is done in a rural area with little or no economic activity you can qualify for free money.

Avg Grant: $2,941 for 09-10
Full Grant: $4,000 for 10-11

Grants for teachers allow students to become teachers for free. A very common type of assistance is called TEACH Grant. It is a new grant for you if you're studying to become a teacher. Everything is paid off for you if you are willing to teach for four years in a rural area after graduation. Teaching will have to be performed within the 8 calendar years of your graduation. This profession is being promoted as of late, so receiving help will be easy. For these grants you do not have to show any financial need at all. When you receive money you will need to sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve.

Single mother grants as the name suggests are dedicated to women who alone raise their children. These programs can pay for rent, food, education for the mothers and for their kids. Very common state level program for single mothers is Section 8. Their living expenses can be paid off using this type of assistance. Single mothers have a higher chance of receiving grants for education, as this is the area they had to give up in order to spend more time with their kids. On top of grants it is not uncommon to find scholarships for single mothers. Scholarships are a great way to pay for education as the money is free. In few exceptions students have to work for the scholarship provider once they graduate, but even then it is a great way to sponsor your education.

Grant Start: $500
Up To: $Few Millions

Nonprofit grants offer great deals to those non for profit companies who are willing to perform government projects. At the federal level there are many projects waiting to be performed. Our authorities can not do the work so they offer consideration for the work. These grants are great for those firms who know how to apply and receive these deals. The money can go up into millions for some of these assignments. One can run a healthy company doing federal work as once you get in receiving more support and projects later is easier. Very often private individual, or other big enterprises will send you grants.

Besides federal organizations, states also offer help to students, companies, women, and others looking for help. Even thought our state are strapped for cash they provide education support. Education help is one of the most common support states engage in as they want to sponsor your adults receiving higher schooling. The best way to research state help is to visit their state grant agencies. Every state has an agency dedicated to helping people pay for many different things. Companies seeking cash to boost their ventures can receive state based help. Make sure to check if your firm is located in a zipcode of poor economic activity. This will help when you apply for grants as companies located in those areas are given advantage.