There are 15 community colleges in Iowa. And there are well over 50 colleges and universities in Iowa. There is plenty of opportunity to receive federal, state, and other sources of financial aid and school grants in Iowa.
To apply for Federal grants in Iowa, you must fill out the FAFSA form. The Federal Pell Grant which is a need-based grant varies from $604 to $5,350 per year, and it is for undergraduate students attending or planning to attend college in Iowa. The priority deadline for the Federal Pell Grant in Iowa is April 1st.
The Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant gives $750 to freshman and $1,300 to sophomore students in Iowa. To be eligible, you must have completed high school after January 1, 2006 for freshman; and you must have completed high school after January 1, 2005 for sophomores. You must be enrolled full-time in a postsecondary institution in Iowa. Sophomores need to have maintained a 3.0 GPA.
If you want to become an elementary school teacher or a secondary school teacher of students from low income families, then Iowa has the Federal TEACH grant. The Federal Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant may award up to $4,000 per year. You need to fill out the FAFSA to be able to get the TEACH grant. You also need to sign a TEACH Grant Agreement. Only if you do not complete the teaching service after you graduate would you need to repay the funds as if they were an unsubsidized loan.
Another grant that is available to undergraduate college students in Iowa is the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG). The FSEOG grant awards from $250 to $500 per year. Students need to be enrolled at least half-time, and the grant is need-based. Apply by filling out the FAFSA.
The Iowa Grant award amount is $1,000 per year. To be eligible, students must have a need and must be a resident of Iowa. The Iowa Vocational-Technical Tuition Grant can be anywhere from $400 to $1,200 per year. It is need-based, and the expected family contribution cannot be more than $5,000.
The Velma E. Stuit Scholarship for Women in Mathematics, Statistics, Chemistry, Physics, or Science, from the University of Iowa, offers awards in an annual amount of $4,000. To be eligible you must be seeking your first time undergraduate degree at the University of Iowa.
A state student aid program offered in Iowa is the Governor Terry E. Branstad Iowa State Fair Scholarship. You must actively participate in the Iowa State Fair to receive one of the four scholarships that vary between $500 to $1000. You need to be a student graduating from an Iowa high school. Given all the grant opportunities in Iowa, you have many ways to move forward to reach your college goals in Iowa
Attending college is a very rewarding experience that can help to prepare you for your future career. But first you have to come up with the money to go to school. If money is in short supply in your life then look to grants to help you make up the difference. Let us look at two of the grant opportunities that await you in 2012 in the state of Iowa:
The Iowa Grant: This grant was created to help low income students pay for tuition. Those who wish to attend independent colleges and universities in the state, as well as community colleges or Regent Universities are eligible to apply. The maximum amount for this grant award is $1,000 on a yearly basis. Students can reapply for this grant for up to a maximum of four years. This is a federally funded grant.
Those with the greatest financial need are given the first priority for this grant. Applicants must be residents of the state of Iowa and must currently be enrolled in an accredited postsecondary institution. Applicants must fill out a FAFSA application form before they can proceed further with the application for the Iowa Grant.
Iowa National Guard Educational Assistance Program (NGEAP): This grant program is open to all active members of the National Guard who wish to attend colleges and universities in Iowa. Students can receive up to a maximum of $2,680 toward the cost of tuition. Students must reapply for this grant program every year by filling out a new application form. Those who wish to apply for the NGEAP must be a resident of Iowa and must have obtained satisfactory completion of National Guard training. The individual must be a current and continuing member of a Natural Guard unit that is based in Iowa. The applicant’s Guard duty performance must be satisfactory to be deemed eligible for this award.
Iowa Team Nutrition Grants
The Iowa Department of Education has introduced two new technical assistance and training grants. The first is not brand new but is relatively new. It is the Team Nutrition Grant of 2009- 2011. The second is the Team Nutrition Grant of 2010- 2012. These training grants are very significant in the state of Iowa because they make it possible for the Iowa Department of Education to support the Team Nutrition programs in schools scattered across the state. They also support access to higher education and the many summer food service programs that take place during the warmer months.
The Team Nutrition Grants offer the funding necessary to support the healthy eating habits of students as well as encouraging physical activity in children and youth. When students are healthy they are better able to learn and are then encouraged to want to reach greater heights with their education.
Mini-Grants
The Team Nutrition Grant funding that is made available to the Iowa Department of Education also makes available smaller grants known as mini-grants that can benefit educational institutions and school programs that strive to improve the nutrition education of their students, as well as to make appropriate policy changes when it comes to eating and exercise. Each mini-grant is available up to a maximum of $500.
Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant
This grant offers $750 to freshmen students in the state of Iowa and $1,300 to sophomore students. To be eligible for the Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant freshmen in college or university must have finished high school after January 1, 2006 and sophomores must have graduated after January 1, 2005. Students must have a 3.0 GPA to apply for this grant and must be planning to attend or presently attending a postsecondary institution on a full-time basis.
