Grants and scholarships are free money options to help you pay for college. Unlike student loans, you don’t have to pay them back. Work study allows you to work on or off campus to help you earn money while going to college. This page lists available federal resources.

Federal Pell Grant

Federal Pell Grants usually are awarded only to undergraduate students who display exceptional financial need and have not earned a bachelor's, graduate, or professional degree.

The maximum Federal Pell Grant award is $6,345 for the 2020–21 award year (July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021). The amount you get, though, will depend on your Expected Family Contribution, the cost of attendance (determined by your school for your specific program), your enrollment status (full-time or part-time student), and your plans to attend school for a full academic year (fall through summer) or less. 

In certain situations, an eligible student can receive up to 150 percent of their scheduled Pell Grant award for an award year.

You may not receive Federal Pell Grant funds from more than one school at a time.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant

The financial aid office will award FSEOGs to students that have the most financial need. The FSEOG does not need to be repaid. You can receive between $100 and $4,000 a year, depending on your financial need, when you apply, the amount of other aid you get, and the availability of funds at your school.

Federal Work Study

Federal Work-Study 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 student’s course of 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.

To learn more, click here.