Federal grants can help college students pay for housing expenses.
Whether you are living in a dorm on campus or in an apartment with friends, housing costs can gobble up a big chunk of money while you are attending college. For some qualifying students, the federal government can lend a helping hand by paying for some housing costs. While the U.S. government does not provide grants specifically for housing, those who qualify for federal education grants can use the money they receive for education-related expenses, such as housing, books and tuition.
Pell Grants
Students must show financial need to qualify for Pell Grants.
The federal government awards Pell Grants to eligible low-income undergraduate college students. Money from the Pell Grant can be used for educational expenses, including housing. Factors that come into play when determining Pell Grant eligibility include the student's parental income and the cost of attending the university. Students applying for the Pell Grant must complete the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA), which is available at the FAFSA website (see Resources). It can be filled out and submitted online. The Health Care Bill signed into law by President Obama in 2010 increased the maximum Pell Grant amount to $5550 for the 2010 to 2011 school year.
Certain Pell Grant recipients are also eligible for an additional federal grant called the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG). The FSEOG provides Pell Grant recipients who have extraordinary financial difficulties with additional money for college expenses. The grant amount can range from $100 to $4000 annually, depending on need.
TEACH Grant Program
TEACH Grants are for prospective teachers willing to sign an agreement to teach in low-income schools.
The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant is another federal grant. Like a Pell Grant, the money can be used for college expenses, including housing. Unlike the Pell Grant, though, applicants must sign an agreement saying upon graduation, they will teach in a public or private school that serves low-income students. TEACH Grant recipients must teach for four years in qualifying schools, and they have eight years to complete this requirement. If TEACH Grant recipients renege on their agreement, then the grant is converted to a loan that must be repaid to the United States Department of Education.
In addition to teaching low-income students, TEACH Grant recipients must specialize in what the Department of Education (ED) considers a "high-need" field. According to the ED website, those high-need fields include math, science, special education, bilingual education and foreign language.
Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant
The Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant is awarded to the children of fallen military members.
The federal government awards the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant to students not eligible for Pell Grants whose parent or parents were military members killed while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan after September 11, 2001. To qualify, students must be age 24 years or younger, and must have been enrolled in college at the time of the parent's death.
The Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant was part of the College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007. It took affect on July 1, 2010.
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