When you want to go off to college, you might be wondering how you can pay for it. Maybe you want a better education but don’t want to be saddled with student loan debt. Pell grants and scholarships can help you pay for your degree.
Finding college grants might be easier than you think. When you learn how to find scholarships and use Pell grants, you won’t have to worry about student loans as much. Let’s look closer at the Federal Pell Grants you might be eligible for and how to find college scholarships.
Federal Pell Grants for College
Pell grants are free money from the government you can use to help pay for college. The amount of aid you can get will depend on what you qualify for. Unlike student loans, you won’t need to pay back money received from Pell grants.
Eligibility Requirements
Commonly, Pell grants are awarded to undergraduate students only. However, some rare cases exist where a student enrolled in a postbaccalaureate teacher certification program can get a Pell grant.
This type of college grant is awarded to those showing exceptional financial needs. Pell grants are also reserved for those who have not yet earned a bachelor’s, graduate, or professional degree.
You are not eligible to receive Pell grants if you are incarcerated in a state or federal penal institution.
How Much Money Can I Get from Pell Grants?
Pell grants currently have a maximum award of $6,895 for the 2022-2023 year. However, this amount can change from one year to another.
The amount you will be eligible for will depend on the Expected Family Contribution, the cost of attendance at your school, your status as a part-time or full-time student, and your plans for attending the school for a full academic year or less.
How to Apply for Pell Grants
You will need to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form to receive Pell grants. The information from the FAFSA will help to determine your eligibility. If you are eligible, it will also determine how much you can get.
You can submit your FAFSA form online through your school’s financial aid office.
How will I get paid with a Pell Grant?
Pell grants are paid directly to your school to be used to pay for the cost of your school. Typically, you get two disbursements or payments. If there is more money than needed to pay the school, a check is often issued for the rest directly to you.
Find College Grants Other Than the Pell Grant
Pell grants are not the only college grant you can use to pay for school. There are other college grants you should consider. However, it might be hard to find college grants if you don’t know where to look.
Most of the additional college grants fit with specific groups, including:
- Those that have served in the US armed forces
- Anybody with a disability
- Members of an ethnic or religious minority group
- Those with a specific talent for sports or any of the arts
- Students committed to a specific area of study
Certain disabilities and illnesses can qualify you for specific grants. Many organizations offer these grants to help students that have a disability or have gone through a serious illness.
Some of the places to find college grants include:
- Meningitis Trust Foundation
- Komen Foundation Awards
- Cancer Survivor’s Society
- National Collegiate Athletic Association
- National Strength and Conditioning Association
- Carole Fielding Student Grant
- Mu Alpha Theta
- McKnight Artist Fellowship
- Future Farmers of America
- Ocean Science Journalism Fellowship
Several other organizations offer college grants. You can also find college grants for veterans from a variety of places. Many states have grant programs, while you can also get a grant or scholarship through the Military Order of the Purple Heart.
How to Find Scholarships for College
Along with Pell grants, you can use scholarships to help you pay for college. A scholarship is an awarded amount of money you don’t have to pay back. College scholarships come in many forms and from many sources. You might be able to receive multiple scholarships to help pay for college.
Often, the best source for a college scholarship is the school you plan to attend. Many colleges and universities offer scholarships for academics and athletics.
Where to Find College Scholarships
Some of the best places to find college scholarships include:
- Fastweb – One of the top free databases to help you find college scholarships.
- BestColleges – Offers an excellent research tool to help you find the financial aid you need.
- College Board – Provides many different resources to help you, including a database of scholarships.
- Scholarship America – This makes it easier to find the scholarships you need.
- Peterson’s – A test prep option for students, this source also offers a scholarship called the World’s Easiest Scholarship.
- Unigo – Helps to connect students with the necessary financial aid and scholars ships they need.
- CareerOneStop – Gives you the resources and advice you need, along with over 8,000 scholarships.
- Scholarships.com – Makes it easy to search for the right college scholarship for your needs.
- Chegg – Offers a database of more than 25K scholarships.
Along with these sources, you can speak with our high school counselor about scholarship opportunities. It’s also common to find college scholarships from community and religious organizations, foundations, and even from some local businesses. If you ask around, you will likely find many organizations that offer scholarships for which you can apply.
When you want to go to college, you want to know how you will pay for it. With Pell grants and scholarships, you can get the money you won’t need to pay back to help you cover the cost of schooling. Use the tools on this list to help you find college grants and scholarships so you can advance your education.
