Grants
Unlike scholarships, the grants are purely based on needs, and there is nothing special that you have to do to be eligible for this. Organizations and colleges offer various grants for students from different backgrounds, ethnicity, or financial background that makes them stand in the eligibility criteria. The grant is for the student to peruse study without paying back a single cent. Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants will make you understand the concept more clearly.
Step by Step Process to Secure a Grant
Most colleges and institutes offer federal, state, or other grants for the same purpose, of course. These grants are there to provide financial help and support for the students in need. You must do the following steps to increase the chances of getting a grant to waive all the study expenses.
Step 1: FAFSA
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a form you need to fill out to inform the institute about your eligibility. This form will let the college know that you are a need-based eligible candidate to get the grant for further studies. It would help if you didn’t leave any relevant column empty, and proofreading the form before submitting it will always give you an upper hand to correct any mistake.
Step 2: Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
The financial aid award letter is given when you submit FAFSA to the college. This letter is your chance of getting admission and a grant in that college. It will help to remain vigilant and responsive towards receiving and processing these letters to move towards the next phase.
The grants award system works on the first-come, first-serve principle. Therefore, there are chances that you are highly eligible for the grant, but you are deprived because of your laziness or late response. This step will require you to provide Expected Family Contribution to your studies. The students with high EFC will end up getting a loan, but you must remain true to yourself and try again and again to get what will get you through the process.
Step 3: Federal Grant Options
There are various options available for students in the federal grant category. You need to choose the right one that suits you best and perform what is required in any of them. You don’t have to pay back the grant money later. But some grants require your services to balance the account.
