| The US government has always been a | | | | The federal Pell Grant is one of the many |
| benevolent one that appreciates that the | | | | grants that form a part of this philanthropic |
| future of the country is in the hands of its | | | | exercise. The beneficiaries of this grant are |
| youth. Education is the best means of | | | | not expected to return the aid in any manner. |
| ensuring that the youth of the country grow | | | | The specific amount of money that is doled |
| to be respectful citizens who can contribute | | | | out per student depends on the financial need |
| to the society in some way or other. | | | | of the individual but the maximum amount that |
| | | | can be given to one particular person is |
| One of the efforts to this cause has been the | | | | dictated by the Congress each year. |
| free grant that the federal government | | | | |
| provides for tertiary education to the | | | | Free grants also come in the guise of campus |
| various schools and certified education | | | | based aid programs. The known associated for |
| programs. These free grants are meant | | | | this kind of a free grant are the Federal |
| especially for those people who would like to | | | | Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant |
| avail of further education but do not have | | | | (FSEOG), Federal Work-Study (FWS) and Federal |
| the financial capability to fund their own | | | | Perkins Loan programs. These kinds of grants |
| education. | | | | are provided to the programs that are managed |
| | | | directly by the financial aid office. |
| The US federal government provides these | | | | |
| grants to a wide variety of educational | | | | For a student to be awarded a free grant, |
| institutions. These include various schools, | | | | some eligibility criteria need to be |
| educational programs, universities, small | | | | fulfilled. The beneficiary needs to be a |
| arts colleges, technical schools, vocational | | | | citizen of the United States or an eligible |
| programs, trade schools and even community | | | | non-citizen and should have a valid social |
| colleges. The magnanimous sum of $67 billion | | | | security number. A high school diploma or a |
| is distributed among the institutions that | | | | General Education Development certificate is |
| have been identified each year. This is done | | | | a must. If these are not available a special |
| in the form of loans, grants, campus-based | | | | test for 'ability to benefit' can be used |
| aid and the like. It is the duty of the | | | | which the expectant student needs to pass. To |
| educational institutions to forward these | | | | avail the grant the student needs to enroll |
| grants to the eligible and deserving students | | | | in the program as a regular student and apply |
| in their programs. The dissemination of these | | | | for the grant later. Male students in the age |
| grants could be done each semester, trimester | | | | group of 18 to 25 years need to register for |
| or quarter based on the educational | | | | 'selective' and be 'eligible' or 'partially |
| institution. | | | | eligible' on the drug conviction question. |
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