Pell Grants can help pay for college.
A Pell Grant is money that can be applied toward college expenses that you do not have to pay back. Pell Grants may go up to $5,550 per year as of 2010. Most of the money goes to students whose families make less than $30,000 a year, but other people can qualify for the grant. The amount of the grant depends on the assets and salaries the student and the student's family report each year.
Instructions
1. Reduce the amount of assets that count toward Pell Grant eligibility. For example, retirement savings do not count, and college savings in a grandparent's name do not count.
2. Attend college full time. You will get more money if you go to college full time instead of part time. The application takes into account the number of hours you attend college and will prorate your grant amount to match.
3. Work in a work-study program instead of a traditional job. Money earned from a work study is considered a scholarship rather than income and does not count toward your expected family contribution.
4. Declare yourself independent from your parents. If you can demonstrate your parents are not helping you with college and that you are financially independent, you do not have to claim them on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Most people will not be able to do this during your first year of school because they lived with their parents during their senior year of high school and are considered a dependent.
5. Apply for the grant using the FAFSA form. Review the information you receive carefully and correct errors you find in contributions or income reporting. This can help maximize the amount of grants you receive.
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