Student Specific Grants
Grant Funds Available for All Types of Students
The student specific grants list delivers a few very rich veins of untapped free college grant money you don’t want to miss.
Grants for Students by Degree Level
Students in various degree levels will find that grant funding changes as their educational and career goals become more sophisticated.
Grants for High School and Undergraduate Students
High school students and undergraduates seeking grant money may tap into a mother lode of cash sources. State and federal government sources, universities and a few private organizations all spend heavily in support of early college education for those students who might otherwise be financially unable to make college a reality. Remember, in most cases you will have to prove financial need to be eligible for grant monies.
Grants for Grads and Doctoral Students
Research-heavy universities, government research programs, and private corporations with big budgets for innovative research are often very rich grant sources for doctoral candidates and cash-starved graduate students.
Grants for Students By State
State grants are plentiful sources for college money. Types if state grant programs include:
- General need-based grants often are drawn on rich state run lottery game purses. These programs have generated millions of dollars for state-based student grants and will continue to do so well into the future. General education grants provide tuition assistance for needy students enrolling most often in four-year degree programs.
- Grants for students enrolling in community college or state vocational school. An example: California’s Cal Grant program, New York’s Tuition Assistance Program is one of the most prolific state education grants, but applicants must attend a state-funded institution.
- Grants for high need fields of study include grants for nursing students and for aspiring student teachers.
Non-traditional Student Grants
Adults beyond the age of the typical college student are returning to college in larger numbers. Business and industry, state and local governments, colleges and universities, are all paying attention. In response, many of these same sources have created grant funds specifically designed to provide financial assistance to non-traditional students that not only struggle financially, but also face time constraints due to family and job responsibilities.
A growing business of online education has also spawned new grant sources for adult learners. Many distance-learning institutions have expanded financial aid, scholarship and grant programs that appeal to a wider audience of financially needy adult learners.
Grants for Student Survivors and Disadvantaged
Grant programs—such as the federal Pell Grant—are inherently designed for those students less fortunate than others, like at-risk students and students from low-income households. But students challenged with physical and learning disabilities also need grant money; without financial leverage, many are very likely to pass up college. Colleges and universities that cater to students with disabilities, as well as private organizations, provide valuable grant programs that may help make life a bit easier for students that face such adversity.
Grants for Minorities and Women
Ethnic minority students qualify for financial support because their numbers are alarmingly low in certain fields of study and in particular colleges. Remember, grants typically are designed to improve the lives of disadvantaged individuals, so grants for women from abusive and battered backgrounds, single women with children, and women pursuing degrees in traditionally male fields of study, all may qualify for abundant grants.
International Students and Study Abroad Grants
Every year grant programs make it possible for international students to study in the U.S. at colleges and universities across the country. Many come on programs such as the Fulbright, one of the largest national funding programs. The Fulbright designates funds for U.S. students studying abroad, as well as foreign students studying in the U.S.
We suggest you explore the Student Specific Grants carefully; you may qualify for funds in multiple categories.
