Federal Grants are awarded from the federal government, and are available to students who are citizens or eligible non-citizens of the United States. The Pell Grant is the most commonly awarded federal grant. If you are interested in becoming a teacher, do not overlook the TEACH Grant. There are two other less-commonly awarded federal grants also listed below.

Please let your friends who are Dreamers know that because the following grants are federal grants, they are only available to students who submit a FAFSA.

The hardest thing about going to college should not be paying for it. -Bernie Sanders

Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant is a need-based grant. The amount of money you receive is determined by your financial need according to your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). As of 2018, students with an EFC of about 5300 or less will qualify for at least some Pell Grant funding. The maximum EFC can change annually.

You could receive anywhere from a few hundred dollars to the maximum amount, which, as of the 2018-2019 aid year, is $6,095 per year. You'll be able to receive this grant for up to 12 semesters, and can receive the Pell Grant at both 2-year and 4-year colleges. Finally, you can recieve Pell all school year, meaning if you take classes in the Summer, you will be able to receive Pell Grant funds.

Check out the Pell Grant website for more details.

TEACH Grants

TEACH Grants are awards of up to $4,000 per academic year. Students enrolled in a program to become a teacher could qualify for this grant. The TEACH Grant is a little bit complicated, and you should work directly with the school you'll attend to work out the details.

Not all teaching programs participate in the TEACH Grant program, so contact the financial aid office at the school where you will be enrolled to find out whether the school participates in the TEACH Grant Program and to learn about the programs of study at the school that are TEACH-Grant-eligible.

The CSU website wrote a great guide to TEACH Grants for CSU campuses. TEACH Grants can also be available at UCs and private schools. This is a federal grant and is available throughout the country.

Check out the Federal Student Aid TEACH Grants website for more information.

Teachers, you don't teach a subject. You teach a child. -Deepa Bhushan

Other Federal Grants

In addition to the Pell Grant and the TEACH Grant, the federal government also offers a two very specific grants for:

Children of military members who lost their lives in Iraq or Afghanistan post-9/11
- Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant
Students with extreme financial need
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant

Click Next to start learning about State of California Grants.