The Federal Pell Grant Program

Pell Grant

If you are an undergraduate student or have not yet received a bachelors or first professional degree in college, you may be eligible for a free Pell Grant. You may also qualify for this grant even if you do have a bachelor degree if your education is for the purpose of acquiring a teaching certification. This grant was created to help students pay for their tuition costs while attending college. They are made available through organizations who have agreed to work with the government in providing assistance to students.

The groups offering these grants are required to send you a check before each term in which your application for higher education has been accepted until you receive your bachelors degree. The Pell grant is not available to anyone who is incarcerated in a state or federal jail. A student who is in a jail which is under a local jurisdiction may still qualify for eligibility. There are certain limitation on grant amounts available for those students who are incarcerated. The amount of your grant is determined by your need for funding. The largest amount of Pell grant money offered is more than $10,000 and this amount decreases based a calculation called the expected family contribution. The expected family contribution is determined by the income and assets held by the students, including those held by their families.

You may want to check out Grants for Small Business guides here.