Federal Pell Grant
Federal Pell Grants are awarded based upon the analysis of the FAFSA, cost-of-attendance, and enrollment status (full time or part time). Pell Grants are awarded only to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor's degree or professional degree. Pell Grants often provide a foundation of financial aid to which other aid is added for the neediest students.
The United States Department of Education uses a standardized formula, established by Congress and called the Federal Needs Analysis Methodology, to evaluate the information you report on the FAFSA. The formula produces an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) number. The EFC number can range from zero to $99,999 or higher. Your Student Aid Report (SAR) contains this number and will tell you if you are eligible for a Pell Grant.
For the 2009-2010 school year, full-time students with EFCs from zero to $4,617 qualify for a Pell Grant award. Those with EFCs greater than $4,617 are not eligible for a Pell Grant, but could be eligible for other types of aid. The Pell Grant award could be as low as $486 to $5,350.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is for undergraduate students with exceptional financial need (i.e., students with the lowest Expected Family Contributions). Preference is given to Pell Grant recipients who file their FAFSA by our first priority deadline of May 1 in order to be considered for this grant. Therefore, you should submit your FAFSA by April 1 of the award year. The FSEOG annual award typically ranges from $500 to $1,000 depending on funding levels.
Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)
The Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) is awarded to at least half-time students who meet certain eligibility criteria for these federal grant programs. An eligible student may receive an Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) of $750 for the first academic year of study and $1,300 for the second academic year of study.
To be eligible for each academic year, a student must:
- be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
- be a Federal Pell Grant recipient.
- be enrolled at least half-time in a degree program.
- be enrolled in the first or second academic year of his or her program of study at a two-year or four-year degree-granting institution.
- have completed a rigorous secondary school program of study.
- be 21 years of age or younger.
If a second-year student, have at least a cumulative 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale for the first academic year.
Please note: The amount of the student's grant, in combination with the student's Federal Pell Grant assistance and other resources and estimated financial assistance, may not exceed the student's financial need (cost of attendance minus EFC equals financial need). A student may not receive more than one ACG or National SMART Grant award in each academic year for which the student is eligible.
National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grant
An eligible student may receive a National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grant of up to $4,000 for each of the third and fourth academic years of study.
To be eligible for each academic year, a student must:
- be a U.S. citizen.
- be a Federal Pell Grant recipient.
- be enrolled full-time in a degree program.
- be enrolled in a four-year degree-granting institution.
- major in physical, life or computer science, engineering, mathematics, technology, or a critical foreign language.
- have at least a cumulative 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale in the coursework required for the student’s major.
For a list of all SMART Grant eligible majors, please click here.
Please note: The amount of the student's grant, in combination with the student's Federal Pell Grant assistance and other resources and estimated financial assistance, may not exceed the student's financial need (cost of attendance minus EFC equals financial need). A student may not receive more than one ACG or National SMART Grant award in each academic year for which the student is eligible.
TEACH Grant
The TEACH Grant is for academically qualified undergraduate and graduate students who plan on becoming a teacher under specified conditions. Students can receive up to $4,000 a year, not to exceed $16,000 for undergraduate and $8,000 for graduate study. Eligible students must be willing to commit to teach full-time for at least four academic years within eight years of completing the program of study at Cal U. Recipients must teach at a school serving low-income students and must teach a high-need subject as follows:
- Math
- Science
- Foreign Language
- Special Education
- Teach as a Reading Specialist
- Another field documented as high need by the federal government, state government, or local education agency and approved by the Department of Education.
- For additional information about the TEACH program and eligible TEACH majors at Cal U, please click here
Please note: The amount of the student’s grant, in combination with the student’s Federal Pell Grant assistance and other resources and estimated financial assistance, may not exceed the student's financial need (cost of attendance minus EFC equals financial need). A student may not receive more than one ACG or National SMART Grant award in each academic year for which the student is eligible.
Pennsylvania State Grants
PHEAA Grants provide need-based state grant assistance of up to $4,500 per year. The grant program is funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is administered by PHEAA Grant Division. Student receives up to eight full-time semesters of PHEAA Grant assistance or sixteen semesters of part-time assistance.
The student must:
- be a Pennsylvania resident.
- complete the FAFSA by May 1 each year.
- be enrolled on at least a half-time basis in a PHEAA-approved undergraduate program of study.
- be a high school graduate or the recipient of a GED.
- demonstrate academic progress for continued aid.
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