In order to receive a government Pell Grant (or any student grants) for your college or university education you must be admitted to an undergraduate program, and working toward a degree. If you have paid for any of your graduate education you have lost your eligibility for a Pell Grant. You also must be a US citizen with a Social Security Number, have a high school diploma or GED, and you must not have been convicted of possessing or selling illegal drugs. If you are male, and between eighteen and twenty-five years old, then you must have registered for the selective service.
If you meet those requirements, then you are ready to begin the Pell Grant process. You’ll first need to get a PIN number. To do this, go to www.pin.ed.gov. This PIN number serves as your ID at the Department of Education, who will e-mail your PIN within three days, or they’ll mail it to you in seven to ten days.
Next you will have to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You’ll want to have a few things on hand when you are filling out this application, including your:
- Social Security Number
- W-2 forms from the previous year
- Driver’s license number
- 1040 Tax Form
- Current bank statements
- Business information
You’ll need tax information from the previous year from your parents.
There is a deadline for your application, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to fill out the application.
After you send your application in you will receive a Student Aid Report. This SAR report summarizes the data on your application. MAKE SURE IT IS CORRECT! You then sign the SAR, send back a copy, and wait. If you receive a grant, the money will come through your school, which will let you know when your grant has arrived.
Colleges and universities have a financial aid department. They are a great resource if you have any questions about your financial aid application. If your college or university has a website, it may contain helpful financial aid and student grant information.
The amount of money you receive in student grants depends on a few things. First, it depends on whether or not you or going to school full-time or part-time. It also depends on how many semesters or quarters of school you attend during the school year, and whether or not you have any special circumstances that would allow you to get more money. The amount is also dependent upon how much it costs to attend your school.
Pell Grants are not the only student grants available. There are also Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants. These grants are awarded to undergraduates, and range from $100-$4,000.
If you do not qualify for any student grants, then there are other options. These include Federal Stafford Loans, Federal PLUS Loans, Federal Work Study, Perkins Loans, scholarships, student loans, and campus-based programs. Try for the grants first, you don’t have to work for them, and you don’t have to pay them back.
By Clint Hunter