Grants for College

The federal grant programs are designed to assist students with the greatest financial need. These grants do no have to be repaid. Most often, these grants are combined into a comprehensive financial aid package by colleges and universities.

Pell Grant Program

The Federal Pell Grant Program provides grants for college to low-income undergraduate and certain graduate students to encourage access to a college education. Grant award amounts are determined by the student's expected family contribution (EFC); tuition, fees, and other costs of attendance; the enrollment status of the student; and whether the student attends full time or part time. Financial need is calculated by the Department of Education using a formula created by Congress, to assess the financial information reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and to verify the family EFC. After completing a FAFSA, the student receives a Student Aid Report, or the institution receives an Institutional Student Information Record, which notifies the student if he or she is eligible for a Federal Pell Grant.

Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) Program

The SEOG program provides grants for college to low-income students, and normally helps supplement the aid they obtain from Pell Grants and other sources. University financial aid administrators at participating institutions have considerable flexibility in determining the amount of SEOG financial aid to provide to current students or to students who have been accepted for admission. Priority is generally afforded to those students with "exceptional need" (those with the lowest expected family contributions at the institution) and those who also receive a Federal Pell Grant.

Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) Program

This program, which provides incentives for states to provide grants for college to students who attend college,

has played a major role in encouraging every state to create and maintain its own student grant program. States are required to provide at least 50 percent of the funding for this program.