Pell Grants are among the most sought-after scholarships in the country. This is due to a number of reasons – for one, you don’t need to repay the amount. Apart from that, the conditions to apply for these grants are more relaxed when compared to other forms of aid.
If you are looking for some funding for your higher education, a Pell Grant is certainly an option to give a try. However, it’s important to know where to get the right information and application forms for these grants.
The FAFSA Factor
When you apply for a Pell Grant, you will need to fill in an application form known as FAFSA – that stands for Free Application for Student Aid. There are two important things to bear in mind about this application – first, it’s free.
Be wary of anyone who asks you for money for these applications. Second, there is no specific application for the Pell Grant – your eligibility will be decided according to the information you provide on this application.
There are four ways to get a FAFSA application. You can do it the old-fashioned way and write to the US Department of Education for it. You will need to address your request to the Federal Student Aid Information Center in Washington and specify the award you want. You can also call the Aid Hotline at 1-800-4-FED-AID.
Schools And Libraries
Majority of post-secondary schools have a financial aid office that can supply you with an application form and any other information you need. If you get your application from your school, it will be specially stamped with the school’s code. If you have trouble filling out the form, you can ask your financial aid advisors to help you with that, as well.
High school students should specially ask their school counselor for help with FAFSA applications. Many people are unaware that libraries also supply FAFSA applications. These forms are usually kept near the tax forms – if you can’t find them, ask at the information desk.
The fourth way to apply for a Pell Grant is to go via the internet. At the FAFSA website, students can fill in their application online – this has a number of advantages. For one, it saves an enormous amount of time – you don’t have to worry about missing deadlines because of postal delays; you can literally submit your application in seconds.
You also don’t have to worry about your application going missing in the mail. The website also allows you to save an incomplete form so that if you are busy with something else, you can complete it later. It’s also worth noting that online applications are processed much quicker than paper ones.
Pell Grants are given by taking into consideration the student’s need. This includes various factors like family income, number of dependants in the family and whether the student works, as well.
At the end of the day, these grants are a welcome monetary boost. There is nothing to lose and everything to gain by applying for Pell Grants.
I need extra funding to pursue my Bachelor’s Degree since my Pell Grant has almost reached it limit. What others grants are available. I am low income single mother who is on a fixed income