Grants and scholarships are sometimes referred to as “gift aid” because they do not have to be repaid. Usually grants are awarded by need, and scholarships are awarded by both need and merit.
About two-thirds of all student financial aid come from the federal government and is based solely upon financial need, not grades or class rank.
Other aid programs are funded by the state, institutions, and private organizations.
The REAP Incentive-Based Scholarship program provides scholarship funding to students. There are many additional scholarship and grants available, and we encourage students to research and apply for as many scholarship and grant opportunities as possible. Grant aid comes from federal and state governments and from individual colleges, and it’s limited.
To Receive Grants:
The main way students receive grant aid is by filling out a FAFSA form Complete all applications and forms in a timely manner. Most federal and state grants require that you are a US citizen or eligible non-citizen; registered with Selective Service (if required); and not have been convicted of drug possession or sales in the recent past (see FAFSA for more detail). The amount of aid you will be rewarded depends on the timeliness of your application, and your response to requests from the Financial Aid Office, and any types of special ability you may demonstrate.