Grants are funds made available by the federal and state governments and universities and do not need to be repaid. Some grants are based on financial need, others are based on academic achievement or merit, and some require a combination of criteria.

Federal Pell Grant

What is a Federal Pell Grant?

A Federal Pell Grant is awarded to help undergraduate students pay for their education after high school. For the Federal Pell Grant Program, an undergraduate is one who has not earned a bachelor's or professional degree. These Grants provide a "foundation" of financial aid for many students to which aid from other federal sources may be added.

How much can I receive from a Federal Pell Grant?

The amount awarded will depend not only on your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), but on the cost of education, enrollment status, and whether or not attendance is for a full academic year or less.  

View the Current Federal Pell Grant Chart >>

Is there a maximum amount of Pell Grant that I can receive during my academic career?

Yes, assuming you are otherwise eligible, you are only eligible to receive a Pell Grant for 12 Full time semesters.

Can I receive a Federal Pell Grant if I am enrolled less than half time?

Yes, if you are otherwise eligible. You will not receive as much as if you were full time, but your school must disburse your Pell Grant funds in accordance with your enrollment status and cannot refuse to award you simply because you are enrolled less than half time.

How Do I Apply for a Federal Pell Grant?

To apply for a Federal Pell Grant, follow these steps:

• Apply for a Pin Number at www.pin.gov.
• Complete the Free Application for Federal Financial Aid at www.fafsa.gov.
• ASU Federal ID Code is 001090 Results will be sent to you via e-mail, if e-mail address if provided. If an e-mail address is not provided, then information will be mailed to home address.
• ASU will receive the information from the Department of Education with the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The EFC is used to determine your eligibility for the Pell Grant as well as other programs.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

What is a FSEOG?

This is a grant intended to supplement other aid received. These grants are federally funded with each school receiving a small allocation of funds each year. Therefore, students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA as early as possible each year as funds are awarded to a limited number of undergraduate students with exceptional financial need. FSEOG does not have to be repaid.

How much can I get from a FSEOG?

FSEOG grants at Arkansas State University may range up to $1,000 per academic year depending on the availability of funds.

How Do I Apply for a Federal Pell Grant?

To apply for a FSEOG, follow these steps:

• Apply for a Pin Number at www.pin.gov.
• Complete the Free Application for Federal Financial Aid at www.fafsa.gov.
• ASU Federal ID Code is 001090 Results will be sent to you via e-mail, if e-mail address if provided. If an e-mail address is not provided, then information will be mailed to home address.
• ASU will receive the information from the Department of Education with the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The EFC is used to determine your eligibility for the FSEOG as well as other programs.

State Scholarships and Grants

The State of Arkansas provides several types of grants and scholarships for residents of Arkansas. These include the Arkansas Academic Challenge/Lottery Scholarship, Governors Scholarships, Go Grant and many additional opportunities for Arkansas residents. Students must complete the YOUniversal, Arkansas’s Universal Scholarship application located at www.adhe.edu. This is one location where you can answer a few questions to see what programs might be available to you.

TEACH Grant

What is a TEACH Grant?

The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant is a merit based Federal Title IV program designed to encourage highly qualified teachers to serve in low-income schools in high-need fields.

The U.S. Department of Education's TEACH Grant Program provides funds to students who are completing, or who plan to complete, coursework that is required to begin a career in teaching, and who agree to teach full-time for at least four years:

• As a highly qualified teacher;
  At a school or educational service agency (ESA) servicing low-income students;
  and
  In a high-need field.

The four years of teaching must be completed within eight years after you complete or otherwise cease to be enrolled in the program for which you received a TEACH Grant. This teaching requirement is known as your TEACH Grant service obligation.

How much can I receive from a TEACH Grant?

The TEACH Grant is a non-need based program that provides up to an aggregate amount $8,000 to students enrolled in a TEACH Grant eligible program. Please see the below chart for TEACH Grant prorated amounts as determined by hours of enrollment.

*Award amounts may change based upon sequestration amounts determined by the Federal Processor.

How do I apply for a TEACH Grant?

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.gov.
  • The Federal ID Code for ASU is 001090.
• Complete the ASU TEACH Grant Application
• 2023-2024 Aid Year (Fall 2023 - Summer 2024)
• Graduate - TEACH Grant Application
• Undergraduate - TEACH Grant Application
• Provide a copy of your teacher's license with application.
• Complete the Agreement to Serve and the TEACH Grant Counseling online at http://teach-ats.ed.gov/ats/index.action.
*Each of these requirements must be completed each academic award year to receive the TEACH Grant.

Additional Information

Eligibility

• Only students pursuing a first Bachelor's degree or a Master's degree are eligible for a TEACH Grant. Students pursuing only a teacher licensure or a second Bachelor's degree are not eligible for the TEACH Grant.
• Students must be actively pursuing coursework within a major that will enable them to teach in a federal or state-recognized high need field, at a low income school, as a highly qualified teacher.

Undergraduate

• Students must be admitted to the TEACH Education program
• Students must have Taken the Praxis I
• Seeking a degree in one of the below high-need fields:
  • BSE in Art
  • BSE in Foreign Language (Spanish or French)
  • BSE in Mathematics
  • BSE in Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
  • BSE in Special Education K-12
  • BSE in Social Science

Graduate

• Seeking a degree in one of the below high-need fields:
  • MSE in Biology
  • MSE in Chemistry
  • MSE in Mathematics
  • MSE in Reading
  • MSE in Special Education K-12
  • MSE in Special Education P-4
  • MSE in Special Education 4-12
  • MSE in Special Education Gifted, Talented and Creative
  • MSE in Social Science
  • MSE in Computer Science

Academic Requirements

Students must either earn a GPA of 3.25 or better) or have scored in the 75th percentile or better on a nationally-formed admission test (such as SAT or GRE) to qualify to receive and maintain the TEACH Grant award.

*Current teachers are not required to meet the GPA requirements upon initial TEACH Grant award but must maintain the 3.25 GPA requirement to continue eligibility.

Obligation

Recipients must agree to teach as a highly qualified teacher, in a high-need field (within the state of which the teaching obligation is being fulfilled), at a low income elementary or secondary school for 4 years within 8 years of completing the program. If you do not complete the teaching obligation, your grants will convert to an unsubsidized loan, which you must repay with interest.

To complete your service obligation, you must teach full-time for at least four years:

• As a highly qualified teacher;
• At a school serving low-income students;

and

• In a high-need field.

You must complete your required teaching service within eight years after you:

• Complete the academic program for which you received your TEACH Grant,
  or
• Are otherwise no longer enrolled in that program (for example, if you withdraw from school or if you change to a different program for which you are not eligible to receive a TEACH Grant).

Suspension

To prevent the TEACH Grant from converting into a loan program participants must notify FedLoan Servicing within 120 days of completing, or otherwise ceasing to be enrolled in an eligible program of study that you either:

• Are employed as a full-time teacher in accordance with the terms and conditions of your TEACH Grant service obligation.
• Are not yet employed as a full-time teacher, but still intend to meet the terms and conditions of your TEACH Grant service obligation.

**Please remember: Once a TEACH Grant has been converted to a loan, it cannot be converted back to a TEACH Grant.

For additional information regarding the TEACH Grant please go online to https://studentaid.gov/teach-grant-program.