One of the many sources of financial aid is the U.S. Department of Education (ED). Grants from ED are based on your FAFSA (submit yours if you have not already), and do not need to be paid back (most of the time), unlike student loans.
How to Qualify
Complete your FAFSA as soon as you can after it becomes available on October 1st and meet all other requirements for federal financial aid (be a US citizen or eligible non-citizen, not be in default on a student loan, seek an eligible degree or certificate, and meet Satisfactory Academic Progress). Federal grants are awarded to students who have exceptional financial need based on their FAFSA. This is usually a Student Aid Index below $14,790.
| Federal Grant Program | Eligibility | Annual Award | Lifetime Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Pell Grant | Undergraduate students with exceptional financial need (based on their FAFSA) and who haven’t earned a bachelor’s, graduate, or professional degree. | Up to $7,395 for the 2025–26 award year | The equivalent of 6 years of full-time enrollment. |
| Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) | Varies. Exceptional financial need is based on the FAFSA. | Varies. Determined by number of recipients and annual allocation. | None |
Types of Federal Grants
Federal Pell Grant
The Federal Pell Grant provides funds to eligible undergraduate students. If eligible, the college will award the student the Pell Grant and apply it to their balance after classes begin and attendance is verified. If the grant is more than your bill, you can receive the extra in a refund.
The amount you can receive in your lifetime is 600% of your annual limit. This is not a set dollar amount because the annual limit changes yearly. For example, if you are enrolled in 12 credit hours in the Fall and Spring semesters, you will receive 100% of your annual limit (50% in the Fall and 50% in the Spring).
If you are enrolled in 10 credits in the Fall and in 4 credits in the Spring, you will receive 58% of your annual limit (42% in the Fall and 16% in the Spring).
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
The Department of Education awards Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) to undergraduate Pell Grant recipients with exceptional need (usually a Student Aid Index of -$1,500).
If eligible, Ozarks Tech will award this to you, and you do not need to accept it. The amount you receive varies each year as funding and the number of recipients change. There is no guarantee that FSEOG recipients will also receive it in future years. There is no lifetime limit, and it is disbursed and refunded the same way the Pell Grant is.
Federal Work-Study Program
While not technically a grant, this type of financial aid is also for students with financial need and an interest in working on campus part-time. Ozarks Tech pays your earnings directly to you instead of to your student account. Positions are limited and require you to apply, just like any other job. The college will post openings online.
When You May Have to Repay a Grant
Although grants aren’t given with the expectation that they be paid back, there are some situations when you might have to give back some or all of what you received. Examples are:
- You withdrew from the semester
- You received a grant for classes you never attended
- Your FAFSA was changed and you no longer qualify for the grant
- You did not complete verification
- You received a Federal Pell Grant from more than one school at a time
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