About Grants
Grants are gift aid from federal or state sources. Grants are usually awarded based on financial need, merit or a combination of both and do not need to be repaid.
Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)*
The Academic Competitiveness Grant is available for students who are a Federal Pell Grant recipient, enrolled at least half-time in a degree program, are either a first or second year undergraduate student who have completed a rigorous secondary school program (after January 1, 2006, if a first year student, and after January 1, 2005, if a second year student), as designated by the state in which the student resided when completing the program. Students must have a 3.0 cumulative gpa at the end of the first year of undergraduate study. The ACG is $750 for the first year of study for full-time attendance and $1,300 for the second year of study. The amount of ACG, in combination with Federal Pell Grant and other financial aid, cannot exceed demonstrated financial need. For more information regarding ACG, visit the U.S. Department of Education website.
*The Federal funding for the ACG program will conclude at the end of Summer semester 2011. Funds will not be awared for the 2011-2012 academic year*
Access Missouri Award
The Access Missouri Award is a need-based grant program to undergraduate students who are a Missouri resident and a US Citizen or permanent resident. FAFSA’s must be received by the FAFSA Processor by April 1 for the upcoming academic year. The award is determined by your EFC (maximum EFC us $12,000) from your FAFSA. You must enroll full time (a minimum of 12 credit hours) each semester and not have completed 150 semester credit hours. The award amounts vary by EFC from $500 to approximately $1,330 for the 2010-2011 academic year. To renew, students must maintain a 2.5 cumulative grade point average. More details are available on the MDHE web page.
Bright Flight Scholarship (Missouri Higher Education Academic Scholarship)
The Bright Flight Scholarship is a merit scholarship from the state of Missouri. A student must score in the top 3% of all Missouri high school students taking the ACT or SAT test in their senior year. You must enroll in the academic year following graduation from high school and be a Missouri resident who is a US Citizen or permanent resident. You must enroll full time (a minimum of 12 credit hours) each semester.
For 2010 High School graduates, the qualifying ACT score is 31 and the SAT is 800 for Critical Reading and 790 for Math. The 2010-2011 estimated award is $1,500. To renew, students must maintain a 2.5 cumulative grade point average and have not completed a first bachelor’s degree. More details are available on the MDHE web page.
NOTE: Students are encouraged to investigate the availability of grants or scholarships through their home state. Non-Missouri residents can find the address of their state's higher education agencies on the web through the Department of Education.
Federal Pell Grant
The Pell Grant is a need-based program that awards funds to undergraduate students who are seeking and have not earned a bachelor's degree. The grant amount is based on your Expected Family Contribution, your enrollment status, and your attendance for the academic year. The award may be renewed , but not automatically, each year based on your FAFSA eligibility.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
The FSEOG is a grant for undergraduate students seeking their first bachelor's degree and are considered to have exceptional financial need. In order to qualify, students must qualify for a Pell Grant. Unlike Pell funding, FSEOG funding is limited, and awards are made as funds are available, with priority given to those students with lowest EFC (zero) who applied by the priority deadline.
Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant
Beginning with the 2010-11 award year, a student who is not eligible for a Pell Grant but whose parent or guardian was a member of the U.S. Armed Forces and died as a result of service performed in Iraq or Afghanistan after September 11, 2001 may be eligible to receive the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant. A student must be under 24 years old and enrolled at least part-time at the time of the parent’s or guardian’s death.
For more information regarding the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant, visit the U.S. Department of Education website.
National Science & Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant)*
The National SMART Grant will provide up to $4,000 for full-time enrollment during the third and fourth years of undergraduate study who are eligible for a Federal Pell Grant and who are majoring in physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, technology, engineering or a critical foreign language. The student must be enrolled in the courses necessary to complete the degree program and to fulfill the requirements of the intended eligible major in addition to maintaining a cumulative gpa of at least 3.0 in the course work required for the major. Students must be enrolled at least half-time.
For more information regarding National SMART Grant, visit the U.S. Department of Education website.
*The Federal funding for the SMART program will conclude at the end of Summer semester 2011. Funds will not be awared for the 2011-2012 academic year*
TEACH Grant Program
The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program provides grants of up to $4,000 per year to students who intend to teach in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves students from low-income families.
In exchange for receiving a TEACH Grant, you must agree to serve as a full-time teacher in a high-need field in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves low-income students. As a recipient of a TEACH Grant, you must teach for at least four academic years within eight calendar years of completing the program of study for which you received a TEACH Grant.
IMPORTANT: If you fail to complete this service obligation, all amounts of TEACH Grants that you received will be converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan. You must then repay this loan to the U.S. Department of Education. You will be charged interest from the date the grant funds were disbursed.
TEACH Grant funds are awarded based on student enrollment. Below is a listing of corresponding TEACH Grant eligibility for various enrollment status.
Full-time enrollment*: $2,000/semester
Three-quarter enrollment: $1,500/semester
Half-time enrollment: $1,000/semester
Less than half-time: $500/semester
Students are reviewed for TEACH Grant eligibility at the beginning of each semester. In order to qualify for the TEACH Grant, students must meet the following requirements:
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and submit it to UMSL. Students will be considered if they indicate on the FAFSA that they are/will complete coursework necessary for becoming a teacher.
- Be enrolled in a degree-seeking or certificate program in the College of Education that will lead to a career in teaching.
- Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 or scored above the 75th percentile on a college admissions test.
If a student meets these requirements, they will be sent further instructions via their UMSL e-mail address on completing a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve and Entrance Counseling session.
For more information or a listing of high-need fields or schools that serve low-income students, please visit http://studentaid.ed.gov. You may also contact Matthew F. Newlin in the Financial Aid Office at (314) 516-5528 or newlinm@umsl.edu.