State Grants for College

All states have programs that offer tuition assistance, grants, loans, scholarships and fee reductions to eligible and financially needy students. Hundreds of thousands of people take advantage of these grants each year. Eligibility requirements are determined in various ways depending upon the state. So you need to research into your state as to its requirements for eligibility.

Following are some of the programs that offer state college grants:

• In State Study: These grants are based on need and offered to resident undergraduates. Most of these receive assistance from the State Student Incentive Grant or SSIG.
• Out of State Study: There are states with signed reciprocity agreements with each other that offer need based grants to out of state undergraduates.
• Merit Programs: Typically, there are three types of merit programs. The first one is financial need based but with an academic threshold attached. The second one is academically based but must also need financial assistance. The final one is completely academically based whether you need the financial assistance or not.
• Special Loans: There are some states that provide loans apart from federal programs. The money generally comes from tax exempt state issued bonds.
• Teaching Scholarships: These grants are used to increase the number of teachers in many states. If a student is willing to become a teacher, there are forgiveness features that go into effect once the student is actually teaching. Otherwise, repayment is required.
• Special Field Grants: These are grants used to help students become educated in fields of shortage in the states.
• Minority Programs: Many states offer grants to minority students.
• Work Study Programs: These are available in certain states and are similar to federal work study programs.
• Veterans: Residents that served in the military can qualify for benefits in some states.
• National Guard:Active members in the National Guard can receive education benefits in certain states.
• Dependents: Various states offer grants to state residents that are dependents of disabled or deceased veterans, MIAs, POWs, or police and firefighters killed in the line of duty.
• Military Dependents: Certain states allow the dependents of military personnel stationed within their borders to be offered the same tuition rates as state residents.
• Grant Programs I: These are need based special assistance grants awarded to students of private colleges in their states.
• Grant Programs II: There are some states that offer grants to their residents attending out of state colleges. These are need based.