Grants for Low-Income Fathers Going to College
College grants are awarded based on income or merit. Grant providers consider students' academic achievements when determining if they are eligible for merit-based grants and students' needs when determining if they are eligible for income-based grants. Fathers who earn less than $20,000 a year may be eligible for income-based grants, though some grant providers will award funds to fathers who earn approximately $50,000 a year.
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FAFSA Requirements
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The first thing fathers with low incomes should do is complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as FAFSA. The U.S. Department of Education uses the data from FAFSA to determine eligibility for income-based grants. Eligible fathers may qualify for Federal Pell and Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants. Private organizations and colleges use the same data to determine grant eligibility.
Expected Family Contribution
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Government, colleges or private organizations want to know how much you can contribute to the cost of your education. Your contribution is referred to as the Expected Family Contribution. If you are unable to contribute toward your education, the Pell and Supplemental Educational Grants, which award as much as $5,550 and $4,000 respectively as of 2011, may pay for the entire cost of a two-year public education.
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Student Aid Report (SAR)
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After FAFSA is processed, the Department of Education sends a Student Aid Report to you and the college. The report is a summary of data from FAFSA. The financial aid officer uses the data to compile your financial aid package. In addition to federal grants for which fathers with low incomes may be eligible, fathers may be eligible for campus-based programs, such as Federal Work-Study. Eligible fathers work part-time in the public sector or for nonprofits.
Merit-Based Grants Based on Income
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The Pell Grant is the foundation of financial aid packages. There are merit-based grants for which fathers may be eligible if they qualify for Pell Grants. Two examples are the Academic Competitiveness and National SMART Grants. If your grade point average is 3.0 or higher, you may be eligible for $750 in your freshman year and $1,300 in your sophomore year from the Academic Competitiveness Grant and up to $4,000 from the SMART Grant in 2011.
Private Sources
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There are private foundations that award college grants to fathers with low incomes, such as the College Bound Last-Dollar Grants and the Part-Time Instructional Grants. Moreover, there are education tax credits for which fathers may be eligible because of their incomes. Fathers should speak with financial aid officers who can discuss options with them.
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References
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