Don’t Search For College Grants Without Reading This First

When you think of how you’ll pay for your costly college education, the thought of scholarships may come up first, since they’re a popular form of free money.
What comes after that? Probably student loans, which are popular, but not exactly ideal since you have to pay them back and they put you in debt as soon as you want to start your professional career.

That’s where grants can save the day, as they’re free money you won’t have to pay back, and they can be less stringent when it comes to requirements, unlike scholarships.

To ensure you get the most bang for your buck when searching for grants, you’ll have to explore all possibilities. The deeper you look, the more free money you can find. Here’s a glimpse at the different types of grants you can find to help you achieve that goal, so you know where to start your search.

The Main College Grant Categories

Once you start searching for college grants, you’ll likely realize that there’s a ton of free money floating around out there to fund your education. So you don’t miss any of it, be sure to look for these main grant categories:

Federal Government Grants

Any grant search should begin here since it is the largest category and usually the easiest type of funding to attain.
Federal grants come from the trusty U.S. Department of Education. They include such popular options as the Pell Grant, Academic Competitiveness and National SMART grants, etc.
How do you find federal grants? You can start by going to the Department of Education’s Grants page. To begin applying for these grants, you’ll need to submit your FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Grants From the State Where You’re a Resident In

Your state is another great option for college grants. One of the primary qualifications is that you’ll have to be a resident where you apply. To find out more about your state’s college grants, use this map.

Grants From the College You Attend

Besides an excellent location and a solid reputation, there’s no better recruiting tool than free money. That’s why many universities offer grants so they can attract prospective students to their campuses.
Looking at grants your potential colleges have to offer could make deciding on a school much easier. To see what’s available, contact the college’s financial aid office.

Grants for Different Types of Students

Some organizations offer grants to minorities, women, disabled students, single parents, adults going back to college, etc. You can search for these online by entering a phrase that corresponds to your situation, such as “single parent college grants.”

Grants for Certain Careers

Are you studying medicine? Will you be a law student? Or maybe a teacher? You’ll likely find grants for those courses of study and many more. A simple search for “law student grants,” for example, yields many promising opportunities.

Other Grants

Some grants exist for very obscure purposes, such as the National Make It With Wool Contest, which offers a $1,000 assistance to the student who makes the best woolen garment. While such grants may be harder to find, they’re great news, as they show that there’s almost no limit to the amount of funding you can find.
Start searching amongst all of the grant categories so you can start stacking cash for your college education.