College Textbook Blog

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Work-Study (FWS), and Federal Perkins Loan programs are called campus-based programs because they’re administered directly by the financial aid office at each participating school. Not all schools participate in all three programs. Check with your school’s financial aid office to find out which programs they participate in.

How much aid you receive from each of these programs depends on your financial need, on the amount of other aid you receive, and on the availability of funds at your college or career school. Unlike the Federal Pell Grant Program, which provides funds to every eligible student, the campus-based programs provide a certain amount of funds for each participating school to administer each year. When the money for a program is gone, no more awards can be made from that program for that year. So, make sure you apply for federal student aid as early as you can. Each school sets its own deadlines for campus-based funds, and those deadlines are usually earlier than the Department of Education’s for filing a FAFSA.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) are for undergraduates with exceptional financial need. Pell Grant recipients with the lowest EFCs will be the first to get FSEOGs. Just like Pell Grants, FSEOGs don’t have to be paid back.

How much can I get?

You can receive between $100 and $4,000 a year, depending on when you apply, your financial need, the funding at the school you’re attending, and the policies of the financial aid office at your school.

If I am eligible, how will I get the FSEOG money?

If you’re eligible, your school will credit your account, pay you directly (usually by check), or combine these methods. Your school must pay you at least once per term (semester, trimester, or quarter). Schools that do not use semesters, trimesters, or quarters must disburse funds at least twice per academic year.

Federal Work-Study

Federal Work-Study (FWS) provides part-time jobs for undergraduate and graduate students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses. The program encourages community service work and work related to the recipient’s course of study.

Will I be paid the same as I would in any other job?

You’ll be paid by the hour if you’re an undergraduate. No FWS student may be paid by commission or fee. Your school must pay you directly (unless you direct otherwise) and at least monthly. Wages for the program must equal at least the current federal minimum wage but might be higher, depending on the type of work you do and the skills required. The amount you earn can’t exceed your total FWS award. When assigning work hours, your employer or financial aid administrator will consider your award amount, your class schedule, and your academic progress.

What kinds of jobs are there in Federal Work-Study?

If you work on campus, you’ll usually work for your school. If you work off campus, your employer will usually be a private nonprofit organization or a public agency, and the work performed must be in the public interest.

Your school might have agreements with private for-profit employers for Federal Work-Study jobs. This type of job must be relevant to your course of study (to the maximum extent possible). If you attend a career school, there might be further restrictions on the jobs you can be assigned.

Funding Your Education Information from the Government

Through the College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007, Congress created the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program that provides grants of up to $4,000 per year to students who intend to teach in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves students from low-income families. To find out more about the TEACH Grant Program click here.

The Academic Competitiveness Grant and the National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant) were made available as of the 2006-07 school year. For additional information click here.

We can help make your education affordable!

The Department’s Federal student aid programs are the largest source of student aid in America. If you’re interested in financial aid for college or a career school, you’ve come to the right place. These programs provide more than $100 billion a year in grants, loans, and work-study assistance. Read on to find out more and to find out how to apply for this aid.

U.S. Department of Education student aid is the largest but not the only source! You can find out here about other sources of federal aid and about scholarships. Nonfederal financial assistance programs and requirements often vary from school to school, so check with the schools you’re interested in for information about state and institutional aid.

New: Financial Aid Estimator Tool - FAFSA4caster

The FAFSA4caster provides students with an early estimate of their eligibility for federal student financial assistance. Students considering furthering their education beyond high school can use this FREE tool to:

· Calculate their eligibility for federal financial aid, including grants

· Reduce the time it will take to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the qualifying form for all federal student financial aid

Federal Student Aid is excited to provide this tool to help students and their families evaluate their options for planning and paying for education beyond high school. To access FAFSA4caster, visit www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov.

Transfer your MyFSA profile to FAFSA4caster

If you have a MyFSA account, click here to automatically transfer data from your MyFSA profile to FAFSA4caster so you won’t have to complete the information again. If you haven’t created a MyFSA profile yet, we encourage you to click on the MyFSA link in the left margin of this Web site. With MyFSA, you can create a personalized “folder” to record your career and college searches, track your progress in the college planning and application process, transfer data to the FAFSA, and much more!

Applying for Financial Aid

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the form used by virtually all two and four-year colleges, universities and career schools for the awarding of federal student aid and most state and college aid. To assist in completing the FAFSA, see Completing the FAFSA.

Tell your friends! The official FAFSA is at www.FAFSA.ed.gov – not at a .com Web site. If you go to a .com site, you will probably be asked to pay to submit the FAFSA. Remember, the first F in “FAFSA” stands for “free” – so use the official government site to submit your application.

Transfer your MyFSA profile to FAFSA on the Web

If you’ve already created a MyFSA account, click here to automatically transfer much of your MyFSA profile to FAFSA on the Web so you won’t have to repeat this information when you apply. If you haven’t created a MyFSA profile yet, click on the MyFSA link in the left margin of this Web site.

Student Aid Eligibility

Find out what determines eligibility for federal student aid programs.

Federal Student Aid Eligibility Status for Incarcerated Individuals

Currently incarcerated individuals have limited eligibility for federal student aid. To find out which federal studnt aid programs you are eligible to apply for, check out Frequently Asked Questions About Federal Student Aid for Incarcerated Individuals.

The PIN

The Federal Student Aid PIN is the personal identification number that serves as your electronic signature or access code on our Web sites.

Get a PIN

If this is your first time filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and you haven’t applied for a PIN, you should do so now. Your PIN is what allows you to complete the FAFSA paper-free! You’ll need your PIN to make online corrections to your FAFSA, including changing your name and address, or adding/changing the name of a school to receive your application data. The PIN is also your identifier to let you access personal information in various U.S. Department of Education systems.

Student Aid Report (SAR)

Have you already filled out the FAFSA and received your Student Aid Report (SAR)? The SAR contains the information you reported on your FAFSA. Here’s a description of the SAR and how it’s used. Your SAR must be complete and correct before you can receive federal student aid.

Borrowing Responsibly

If you decide to take out a federal student loan to help pay for school, you’re taking on certain serious obligations. Find out what they are and how to maintain your account in good standing.

Understanding Federal Student Aid

Our booklet, Funding Education Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid will answer any questions you might still have. Funding Education Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid is a comprehensive source of information about the Department’s federal student aid programs and includes an overview of federal student aid, as well as more detailed information on the application process and student loans, for example. Whatever your questions, you’ll find the aid information you need in this publication.

Other Sources of Federal Student Aid

We encourage you to explore other federal Web sites to find out about additional aid sources. For example, veterans and their dependents, students training in various medical fields, and persons interested in earning funds in exchange for community service may link to other federal agencies for program descriptions and qualifications.

State Aid

Even if you’re not eligible for federal aid, you might be eligible for financial assistance from your state. Contact your state higher education agency for more information.

Finding Scholarships

Under the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program, ED gives money to state education agencies to provide scholarships to graduating high school seniors. Each state education agency has its own application and deadline. To find your state agency’s Web site, click here.

You can find out about nonfederal scholarships and other sources of aid in several ways, including contacting the financial aid offices at the schools you plan to attend and checking information in a public library or online. But be careful. Make sure scholarship information and offers you receive are legitimate. Don’t get scammed: You don’t have to pay to find scholarships. Click here to check out our information on nonfederal sources of aid and how to avoid scholarship fraud.

To access our free scholarship search, click here.

Sample Award Package

Most schools will prepare an “award letter” that will inform you of the types and amount of student aid you will receive at that school. Once you’ve selected the types of aid you want to receive, that selection is referred to as an “award package.”

Financial Aid Wizard

Explore your financial aid needs and options with a step-by-step process for calculating your cost of attendance and expected family contribution, and discovering potential scholarships and loans available to you. If you’re planning on going to college in the future, we can’t predict what you might be awarded then, but you can find out what you’d get if you applied this year. Use that as a guide as you prepare for the time you enter college.

Tax Break

Find out how the Hope and Lifetime Learning Tax Credits can help with education costs by reading IRS Publication 970, “Tax Benefits for Education.”

Saving Money for College

Paying for college is easier when you can invest money in a Coverdell Education Savings Account (formerly an Education IRA) that will accumulate interest tax free, and when you can withdraw money from this account without penalty. Also, it’s possible to put money into a state- or institution-sponsored prepaid tuition plan and not pay taxes on it until you withdraw the money.

Reducing College Costs

The typical cost of attendance includes not just tuition, but room and board, fees for special programs or activities, books, personal items, and traveling to and from college. Here are 34 tips for reducing your college costs.

US Government Last updated/reviewed June 23, 2009 from: http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/funding.jsp

Government Funding is Available

Today, it is more important than ever before to ensure that you have the right level of education to succeed in your area of interest.

“… Education is everything to our children’s future … To really compete, [Americans] need to graduate high school, and then they need to graduate college, and they probably need a graduate degree too.” –President Barack Obama

Millions in Government Funding is Available

The proper education is critical in today’s job market—the higher paying jobs go to higher educated candidates. Find out more about how you can earn the following degree types to help you advance in your career. With billions in government funding available, you have the opportunity to grow in your career.

· Undergraduate

· Graduate

· Professional Certification

Request Information from Accredited Schools Now

Going back to school has never been easier.

· It’s Fast - You can earn your degree in as little as 10 months.

· It’s Convenient - Learn from the comfort of your home, when you want, at your own pace.

· It’s Cost Effective - Federal aid, grants, discounts and more are available to help pay for your education.

Benefits of Continuing Education

· Make Yourself More Marketable & Valuable to Employers

· Financial Assistance Available So You Don’t Lose Your Current Income To Complete

· Earn Your Degree & Earn A Bigger Salary

· Continue Working Your Current Job & Complete In As Fast As 12 Months

· Get the Job You Desire, Meet Your Career Goals, & Make More Money to Enjoy Life!

Lifetime Salaries by Education Level:

High School Graduate $1.2 Million
Associate’s Degree $1.6 Million
Bachelor’s Degree $2.1 Million

Master’s Degree $2.5 Million
Doctoral Degree $3.4 Million
U.S. Census Bureau Statistic

http://www.ed.gov/fund/landing.jhtml

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Invest your time wisely, instead of spending your time. Think of each minute you spend as an investment. Make sure each task you commit yourself to fulfills one of your goals, like getting better grades.

Structure the way you spend your time carefully, and as far as possible, set a fixed amount of time for which you will work 100% on each task. Develop effective college study habits by changing the way you view productivity: productive work is always work accomplished within a known amount of time. Never allow tasks to drag on indefinitely!

Beware of Parkinson’s Law, which states that tasks assigned will inevitably stretch themselves out to fill the time allocated. If you give yourself one hour, you will accomplish most of the task satisfactorily in one hour. If you give yourself one day, you will accomplish the task in one day – with only marginally better results. If you give yourself an indefinite amount of time, you will procrastinate to the extent that your task seems to take forever to complete.

If you are looking for a list of good study habits then you came to the right place.

Make a list of all the bad study habits you can think of that keep you from performing better at school such as skipping class, not taking notes, procrastinating, cramming, etc… And then right beside the bad habits write the good study habits that counter act on the bad ones, such as attending every class, taking notes, working on your homework and projects every day, and studying ahead of time for your next test.

Go To Class:Always attend class. You don’t know what you will miss from your next lesson if you are not present in class. Attending class could save you from missing out on a “surprise” test or clues to your mid-term exam.

Talk To Your Professors: Professors are not that bad. In fact, they could help you pass the subject if you talk to them and explain what are the areas on which you are having trouble.

Do Your Homework: Doing your homework! Try completing your homework at the school library or before getting home.

Involve Yourself In Activities: Activities like sports & arts will get your mind out of the books. Always try to make school fun.

No Cramming:Trying to get the most of any subject into your brain right before of a test is not going to work. Instead try to study just a couple of hours a day and when you are rested.

Read Before Class: Reading today’s lesson before each of your classes gives you an unfair advantage over the other students. The information will be fresh in your brain and you will be able to understand better what is going on in class.

Prioritize Your Tasks: Remember the example I gave you above with the students with good and bad study habits? The student with good study habits prioritized what was most important and started working on the project way before it was due.

Join Study Groups: There are many ways of getting most of your studies: one of them is joining study groups. These study groups are super beneficial to get most of your questions answered.

Beat Procrastination: Procrastination is a major issue for students, but once you get passed it you will be more productive.

Clutter Free Study Space: Always make sure to study in an area that is free of other books, papers, and distractions. Clean up your table and make sure you only have what you need to work on in front of you. Nothing else!

Prepare For Tests: If a test is coming up in two weeks then start reading your material early. Read pages daily, then when test time comes you will be prepared.

Know Your Schedule: Be aware of what’s coming up next: classes, tests, exams, projects, etc. Make a calendar for all of your projects, this will keep you on track.

During your college scholarship and grant search, you may come across various scams. To avoid becoming the victim of such a scam, here are some warning signs to watch out for:

• Processing fees - beware of any group or individual guaranteeing an award if you pay a fee. The scholarships may even assure a refund so that students will be comfortable as consumers, but in reality, the money never returns.
• Awards without entries - beware of any awards given without entry. If a student is presented an award without actually having to fill out an application, this should also raise a red flag.

There will be many scholarship scams to look out for when you are performing your search, remember, do not pay money to get money. By adhering to these warning signs, you will be less likely to fall victim to such scams.

There are many resources to be considered when you begin your college scholarship and grant search. Here are some of those resources:

1. Merit-Based - Merit-based scholarships can be based on academic or athletic achievements, however, they can also be awarded on the virtue of ethnic, religious, and professional affiliations. Many companies also provide scholarships to the children of employees.
2. Corporate Scholarship - While obtaining a corporate college grant is not as common as a grant from a national scholarship search, it is an option worth exploring. Each year, corporations award students with thousands of dollars in financial aid. Also, ask your parents to check with the companies where they work.
3. Local Resources - Be sure not to overlook local opportunities during your college scholarship and grant search. The American Legion, the Rotary Club, the Jaycees, and Boosters chapters often set aside funds for college-bound students in the area. Memorial scholarships are another great source of college funding that are often overlooked. The benefit of a local search as opposed to a free grant from a national scholarship search is the competition, which is considerably less than that for national awards. To begin, ask your students’ high school career office to see what’s available.

Federal Scholarship and Grants - the U.S. government is the nation’s largest financial aid resource, but you must first file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA can be found in your student’s high school guidance office as well as online. It is extremely important that filing the FAFSA for financial aid is completed before priority deadlines.

While you may have heard that free private grants and scholarships make up the majority financial aid, in reality, the vast majority of financial aid is provided by the national and state governments and by schools. Take advantage of this enormous resource. Start your scholarship search today by filling out the necessary paperwork. Learn more about filing the FAFSA for financial aid on from this government link: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

The cost of tuition is on the rise. College-bound students, along with their families, often find it discouraging when attempting to get financial aid to help fund their college education. While this high cost can be an issue with getting a college education, there is some good news. An increasing number of scholarship and grant options for college-bound students and their families continue to become available. Even though the amount of available financial aid is increasing for college-bound students, we recommend you begin your scholarship and grant search now!

Students should be assembling applications, recommendations, essays, test scores, and transcripts. To help ensure deadlines are met, we recommend creating a calendar to keep track of cut-off dates as well as to stay on top of the sizeable amount of paperwork you will need to submit.

Available government & public financial aid funds are increasing for college-bound students, however, they are also limited. Begin your scholarship and grant search early as this should increase the likelihood that you will receive financial assistance.