Federal Grants for College
A degree at an accredited 4-year college or university is a goal that all American high school students should strive for. With a college education, one can qualify for higher paying jobs and achieve greater success in life. A high paying job results in larger checks to Uncle Sam come tax day. Therefore, it is to the advantage of the United States government, and to the country as a whole, to provide federal grants for college so that every American can access the opportunities that come with a college degree.
College tuition is expensive and not all families have the means to afford it. According to the U.S. Department of Education, four years of undergraduate tuition and housing costs $51,216 at a public university and $128,736 at a private university. If the tuition increases from the past decade continue at the same rate for the next ten years, the cost of a college degree will skyrocket to $70,166 for public and $160,920 for private by 2020. Online colleges and vocational schools (also known as career schools or trade schools) are less expensive but can still be outside the range of affordability. Fortunately, federal grants for college are available to any American that lacks the financial means but has the intelligence and the determination needed to be accepted to a college.
The United States federal government offers four different grant programs to help you pay for college:
- Pell Grant - Named after late U.S. Senator Claiborne Pell, The Pell Grant is a yearly award to low income students that have not yet obtained their undergraduate degree. Since this is by far the largest and most popular federal grant for college, we have devoted an entire article to the subject: Federal Pell Grant.
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) - If you meet the income requirements of the Pell Grant, you may also be eligible for additional help through the FSEOG program. This grant for college only gives funds to students in extraordinary financial need. In 2010, the FSEOG awarded nearly $960 million to over 1.3 million students. Each award fell between $100 and $4000 with an average award of $736. To qualify, you must meet the income requirements and attend a participating college for your undergraduate degree. When a student completes the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), a score called the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is calculated based on the financial situation of the student's household. In 2010, your EFC is calculated as zero if you and your parent's yearly income is $31,000 or less. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants are first awarded to those with the lowest EFC. The amount of FSEOG grant money you will receive is up to your college, but in general the less your family is able to contribute to your tuition, the higher your grant.
- Iraq and Afghanistan Service College Grant - On July 1st 2010, the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant provided by the Higher Education Opportunity Act took effect. If a parent on military duty dies after September 11, 2001 in the Iraq or Afghanistan Wars, their children receive the maximum possible dollar amount from their Pell Grant award. If these same children do not meet the income criteria for the Pell Grant, they can receive the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant. The award amount is equal to the maximum Pell Grant possible, but is reduced if the student attends part-time.
- Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant (TEACH) - If you wish to become a teacher that educates students from low income families, then the TEACH Grant can help you pay for your teaching degree. It contributes up to $4000 per year for four years of undergraduate study and two years of graduate study. To be eligible, you must plan to work at a public or private school within a less advantaged neighborhood teaching a subject that has a shortage of qualified educators. Examples of such subjects include science, foreign language, and special education. If for some reason you are unable to fulfill this requirement, your grant converts to a government loan which must be paid back in full.
As of Tuesday, March 19th, 2024, the federal government is also taking student applications for the following college grants, scholarships, fellowships, and awards:
- Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Education and Workforce Development
Deadline: December 5th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $49,000,000 - University Partnerships in Turkmenistan
Deadline: May 15th, 2024 - FY 2024 Global Undergraduate Exchange Program
Deadline: May 20th, 2024 - Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Institutional Service: Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA) Program, Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.031M
Deadline: May 13th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $11,257,000 - FY 2024 Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW)
Deadline: July 23rd, 2024
Funds Available ($): $50,000,000 - 2025 Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program
Deadline: April 24th, 2024 - FY2024 Cochran Fellowship Program
Deadline: May 3rd, 2024
Funds Available ($): $300,000 - 2025 Thomas R. Pickering Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program
Deadline: April 22nd, 2024
Funds Available ($): $6,065,980 - FY 2024 Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Professional Fellowship Program
Deadline: May 6th, 2024 - Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Computing in Undergraduate Education
Deadline: May 30th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $7,500,000 - Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) Student Service: Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) State Grants, Assistance Listing Number 84.334S
Deadline: May 7th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $40,000,000 - FY 2024 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders
Deadline: April 30th, 2024 - University Leadership Initiative (ULI)
Deadline: May 29th, 2024 - Implementation of University Faculty Exchange
Deadline: April 30th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $900,000 - U.S. College Preparatory Program
Deadline: March 29th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $24,000 - Research Training in Aging for Medical Students (T35)
Deadline: June 14th, 2024 - Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Sustainable Agricultural Systems
Deadline: June 6th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $80,000,000 - Department of Army:FY25 Department of Defense Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (MURI)
Deadline: September 6th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $200,000,000 - Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Department of Defense Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (MURI)
Deadline: September 6th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $200,000,000 - Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Higher Education Programs (HEP): Institutional Service: Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions (ANNH) Program (Part A, Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.031W
Deadline: April 29th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $17,299,105 - FY25 Department of Defense Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (MURI)
Deadline: September 6th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $200,000,000 - Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): Higher Education Programs (HEP): Institutional Service - Alaska Native-Serving Institutions Program (Part A), Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.031N
Deadline: April 29th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $17,299,105 - NIA MSTEM: Advancing Diversity in Aging Research (ADAR) through Undergraduate Education (R25 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Deadline: May 25th, 2026 - 2024 Norman E. Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship Program
Deadline: April 8th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $1,650,000 - Hispanic-Serving Institutions: Enriching Learning, Programs, and Student Experiences
Deadline: June 4th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $19,000,000 - Tribal Colleges and Universities Program Hub and Topical Interest Groups
Deadline: May 31st, 2024
Funds Available ($): $17,500,000 - FY 2024 Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellowship
Deadline: April 16th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $250,000 - Environmental Research Apprenticeship Program for College and University Students
Deadline: May 15th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $800,000 - Youth Empowerment Through International Exchange
Deadline: April 30th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $370,000 - Developmental Sciences
Deadline: July 30th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $6,500,000 - ROSES 2024: D.8 Nancy Grace Roman Technology Fellowships in Space Astrophysics for Early Career Researchers
Deadline: January 30th, 2025 - Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE): International Foreign Language Education (IFLE): Fulbright-Hays Faculty Research Abroad (FRA) Fellowship Program, Assistance Listing Number 84.019A
Deadline: April 23rd, 2024
Funds Available ($): $750,000 - Strengthening U.S.-Pakistan University Partnerships
Deadline: April 16th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $1,700,000 - NIDCD's Mentored Research Education Pathway for Otolaryngology Residents and Medical Students (R25 - Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Deadline: September 29th, 2026 - Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program
Deadline: April 1st, 2024
Funds Available ($): $1,250,000 - Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program (DDETFP) Graduate Fellowship
Deadline: March 22nd, 2024
Funds Available ($): $1,000,000 - 2024 USDA/FAS Borlaug Fellowship Program World Food Prize Event
Deadline: March 29th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $75,000 - U.S. Companies and Pakistani Universities Partner for Better Employability of Pakistani Youth
Deadline: April 4th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $500,000 - Sustainable Regional Systems Research Networks
Deadline: May 15th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $30,000,000 - EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII): EPSCoR Research Fellows
Deadline: April 22nd, 2024
Funds Available ($): $15,000,000 - Promoting U.S. Study: A Tribute to 75 Years of U.S-Jordan Relations EducationUSA College Fair.
Deadline: March 21st, 2024 - NIJ FY24 Graduate Research Fellowship
Deadline: April 10th, 2024 - Marine Energy University Foundational R&D
Deadline: April 22nd, 2024
Funds Available ($): $14,500,000 - Equipment Grants Program
Deadline: May 3rd, 2024
Funds Available ($): $4,800,000 - Engaging Students in English
Deadline: May 5th, 2024 - Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Foundational and Applied Science Program
Deadline: December 31st, 2024
Funds Available ($): $300,000,000 - Minerva Research Initiative - University Research
Deadline: April 2nd, 2024 - Improving Adolescent Health and Well-Being Through School-Based Surveillance and the What Works in Schools Program
Deadline: April 1st, 2024
Funds Available ($): $77,500,000 - NIDCD Research Dissertation Fellowship for Au.D. Audiologists (F32)
Deadline: January 7th, 2027 - Graduate Research Training Initiative for Student Enhancement (G-RISE) (T32)
Deadline: January 29th, 2026 - Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) (T32)
Deadline: January 29th, 2026 - Enhancing Biomedical Engineering, Imaging, and Technology Acceleration (BEITA) at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Deadline: September 30th, 2025 - Enabling Partnerships to Increase Innovation Capacity
Deadline: May 16th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $20,000,000 - Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Predoctoral Fellowship to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (Parent F31-Diversity)
Deadline: September 7th, 2025 - Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (Parent F32)
Deadline: September 7th, 2025 - Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellowship for Students at Institutions Without NIH-Funded Institutional Predoctoral Dual-Degree Training Programs (Parent F30)
Deadline: September 7th, 2025 - Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Senior Fellowship (Parent F33)
Deadline: September 7th, 2025 - Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Fellowship for Students at Institutions with NIH-Funded Institutional Predoctoral Dual-Degree Training Programs (Parent F30)
Deadline: September 7th, 2025 - Defense Security Cooperation University - Research Grants
Deadline: August 7th, 2024 - Provider's Clinical Support System Universities (PCSS-U)
Deadline: April 15th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $5,400,000 - Fellowships for Digital Publication
Deadline: April 17th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $300,000 - Fellowships for Advanced Social Science Research on Japan
Deadline: April 24th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $180,000 - Fellowships
Deadline: April 10th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $4,800,000 - NIH Blueprint and BRAIN Initiative Program for Enhancing Neuroscience Diversity through Undergraduate Research Education Experiences (BP BRAIN-ENDURE) (R25 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Deadline: February 10th, 2025 - Dahlgren University Research and Development (R&D) Projects and Capstone Projects
Deadline: July 17th, 2024 - Research Experiences for Undergraduates
Deadline: August 21st, 2024
Funds Available ($): $84,800,000 - Interactive Digital Media (IDM) Biomedical Science Resources for Pre-College Students and Teachers (SBIR) (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Deadline: September 5th, 2025 - Dynamic Language Infrastructure - Documenting Endangered Languages Fellowships
Deadline: September 11th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $300,000 - Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Excellence in Research
Deadline: October 15th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $28,000,000 - Fellowship Programs at Independent Research Institutions
Deadline: August 14th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $1,900,000 - Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology
Deadline: December 6th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $8,000,000 - Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program
Deadline: August 27th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $68,000,000 - Research Training Groups in the Mathematical Sciences
Deadline: August 13th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $12,000,000 - Strategic Prevention Framework - Partnerships for Success for Communities, Local Governments, Universities, Colleges, and Tribes/Tribal Organizations
Deadline: June 5th, 2025
Funds Available ($): $16,500,000 - BRAIN Initiative Fellows: Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32)
Deadline: August 11th, 2025 - Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)-sponsored National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32)
Deadline: August 8th, 2025 - Transition to Aging Research for Predoctoral Students (F99/K00 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Deadline: October 18th, 2024 - Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE): Project to Support America's Families and Educators (Project SAFE) Grant Program Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.184N
Deadline: June 11th, 2024
Funds Available ($): $3,200,000 - NIA Predoctoral Fellowship Award to Promote Diversity in Translational Research for AD/ADRD (F31)
Deadline: August 8th, 2024 - NIA Postdoctoral Fellowship Award to Promote Diversity in Translational Research for AD/ADRD (F32 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Deadline: August 8th, 2024 - Academic Research Enhancement Award for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Deadline: May 7th, 2024 - Academic Research Enhancement Award for Undergraduate-Focused Institutions (R15 Clinical Trial Required)
Deadline: May 7th, 2024 - University Nuclear Leadership Program- Scholarship and Fellowship Support
Deadline: October 14th, 2030
Funds Available ($): $50,000,000 - Department of Defense Research and Education Program for Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCU/MSI)
Deadline: April 30th, 2024
In addition to the above federal grants for college, you can obtain grant money from your state and directly from the school you are attending. Many states provide grants to residents that attend a public college located within the state. States also offer financial grants similar to the Pell Grant. For example, the Cal Grant provides up to $12,192 per year to low income students attending University of California schools. Universities will commonly offer grants directly to students. These will be college grants are based on financial aid, merit, or a combination of both. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, for example, gives an average of $31,926 per recipient of their grant.
© 2024 Federal Grants