AwardYear: 1997-1998 Edition: PostSecondary Part: 1 - - General information about postsecondary opportunities SectionNumber: SectionTitle: Sources of aid PageNumbers: 3-12 Sources of aid Many high school students do not know that they may be eligible for financial aid to attend college. Unfortunately, many of the neediest students assume that they cannot afford to go to college to continue their education. Financial aid is often available, though, through private, institutional, and federal student aid programs. To help students find out more about the Student Financial Assistance (SFA) programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education, be sure to give them copies of The Student Guide, as well as any information offered by your state's higher education agency. The Department sends copies of The Student Guide to all participating SFA schools. Individual copies may also be ordered by mail or by telephone: Federal Student Aid Information Center P.O. Box 84 Washington, DC 20044 telephone: 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) The Department of Education has set up an automated Application Ordering System, through which financial aid offices may order bulk quantities of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the Spanish version of the FAFSA, and The Student Guide. You may also call the Hotline (1-800-284-2788) using a touch-tone telephone to check the status of orders and to enter new orders. When you call this number, the automated voice system will prompt you for your school's mailing list number. Upon request, the AOS Hotline will provide information on previous orders, including the mailing date. To order additional forms, the AOS Hotline will first verify the orders, the date since the last order, and the appropriateness of the ordered quantities. If you have problems with your order, or if you need to increase or decrease your order, call the AOS customer service line at 1-800- 394-7084 Monday through Friday, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Please note that Dear Colleague Letter ANN-96-4 (September 1996) provides guidance on the Application Ordering System. The SFA Programs are authorized by the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended ("the law"). For 1996-97, the SFA Programs delivered more than $38 billion in aid to more than seven million students, representing a substantial commitment by the Department to provide financial assistance for postsecondary students. However, other important sources of aid may also be available to your students. Encourage your students to check the reference section of the school library or public library. Appendix A provides some helpful references. The Major SFA Programs The Department administers the following major SFA programs: Federal Pell Grants Campus-based Programs - Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants - Federal Work-Study - Federal Perkins Loans William D. Ford Federal Direct Loans - Federal Direct Stafford Loans - Federal Direct PLUS Loans Federal Family Education Loans - Federal Stafford Loans - Federal PLUS Loans Grants (Pell and FSEOG) do not have to be repaid; loans (Perkins, Stafford, and PLUS) must be repaid. Federal Work-Study (FWS) provides income from a part-time job. Federal Pell Grants are awarded through strict rules set by the Department. If a student is eligible on the basis of these rules, you can pay the student his or her Federal Pell Grant and will be reimbursed by the Department. For the campus-based programs, the Department funds participating schools annually at a specified level. When those funds are expended, no more campus-based aid is available at that school. Therefore, the earlier an eligible student applies, the more likely he or she is to receive campus-based aid. There are two types of federal student loans: subsidized and unsubsidized. Subsidized loans are awarded to students on the basis of financial need. The federal government covers the borrower's interest during some significant periods, such as during at least half- time attendance, thereby subsidizing these loans. Unsubsidized loans are not need-based; the borrower must pay interest throughout the life of the loan. Subsidized and unsubsidized loans are available to students; PLUS Loans (for parents) are always unsubsidized (interest is charged throughout the life of the loan). The William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program enables eligible students and parents to borrow from the Department instead of a bank or other lending institution. The Direct Loan Program offers a range of flexible repayment options to accommodate borrowers' varied financial circumstances. The funds borrowed under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program are provided by banks and other lenders, and guaranteed by the federal government. An individual student cannot borrow from both the FFEL Program and the Direct Loan Program at the same time. Similarly, a parent cannot borrow from both programs at the same time for the same student. See The Student Guide for more information on the Department's major federal student aid programs. Other ED Programs The State Student Incentive Grant (SSIG) Program assists states in providing grants to eligible postsecondary students. Each state has its own name for this grant program, as well as its own award amounts and application procedures. Many of the eligibility criteria are established by the state agency administering the program, although SSIG recipients must also meet the same basic eligibility criteria that apply to other SFA Program recipients. States may use a percentage of their SSIG funding to provide work-study assistance through community service job programs. Because of the variations in state programs, student and school inquiries about SSIG and other state grant, scholarship, and work-study assistance should be directed to the appropriate state agencies. These are listed in Appendix B. The Department also provides student aid for disabled persons through programs that are administered by state vocational rehabilitation agencies. Students must meet state eligibility criteria for these programs, and this aid must be coordinated with student aid from other sources to prevent duplicating benefits. Students are most likely to receive the maximum assistance by contacting, as early as possible, the state agencies that administer the state programs for their home states and the financial aid offices at the schools they plan to attend. Under the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program (Byrd Program), which recognizes and promotes student excellence and achievement, the U.S. Secretary of Education makes grants to the states to provide scholarships to exceptionally able postsecondary students. Recipients under this program are known as Byrd Scholars. Applicants must follow the application procedures established by the sponsoring state educational agency (SEA). The SEA establishes procedures for selecting the scholars after consulting with school administrators, school boards, teachers, counselors, and parents. Byrd Scholars are awarded an amount each year (not to exceed the cost of attendance) for each of their first four years of study at any institution of higher education. [The graphic "sources of aid for 1994-95" on page 8 is provided in the attached PDF file (pg8.pdf). This file may be viewed using version 3.0 or greater of the Adobe ACROBAT Reader software.] Other Federal Programs The Corporation for National and Community Service provides full-time education awards of up to $4,725 a year. Individuals may work before, during, or after their postsecondary education and can use the funds either to pay current or future education expenses or to repay federal student loans. Students must be high school graduates or have General Education Development Certificates (GEDs) to participate in this program. For more information, call 1 800-942-2677 or write to: The Corporation for National and Community Service 1201 New York Avenue N.W. Washington, DC 20525 The U.S. Department of Labor administers the Job Training and Partnership Act (JTPA) through the states. Training funds vary from state to state. In most cases, the states provide tuition and fee assistance for job training and sometimes also provide a transportation allowance for students. For information on JTPA, students should contact their state employment agency. The U.S. Public Health Service administers the Nursing Student Loan Program for undergraduate and graduate nursing students, which provides long-term, low-interest loans to help meet the costs of education. In addition, the Public Health Service sponsors the Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students Program studies in the health professions and nursing. The Public Health Service also sponsors a number of programs for graduate students in medicine. For more information on financial aid programs administered by the U.S. Public Health Service, please write to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services U.S. Public Health Service Health Resources and Services Administration Bureau of Health Professions Division of Student Assistance 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857 The Montgomery GI Bill--Active Duty offers education benefits for students who enter active duty for the first time after June 30, 1985. The student must, with certain exceptions, serve continuously on active duty for three years of a three-year enlistment or, for a lesser benefit, two years of an initial active duty obligation of less than three years. A student also may qualify for education benefits by initially serving two continuous years on active duty, followed by four years of service in the Selected Reserve. The Montgomery GI Bill--Selected Reserve offers education benefits for reservists of the armed forces as well as the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. A reservist must have a six-year obligation to serve in the Selected Reserve, complete Initial Active Duty for Training, have a high school diploma or its equivalent, and remain in good standing in a drilling unit of the Selected Reserve. Students may qualify for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs education assistance benefits if they are spouses or children of - veterans who died or are permanently and totally disabled as the result of a disability arising from active service in the armed forces, - veterans who died from any cause while rated permanently and totally disabled from service-related disability, - service persons presently missing in action or captured in the line of duty by a hostile force, or - service persons presently detained or interned in the line of duty by a foreign government or power. These benefits are available for study leading to an associate, a bachelor's, or a graduate degree at any accredited college or university, or to a certificate or diploma from a business, technical, or vocational school. For further information on the Montgomery GI bill and other veterans benefits, students should call the toll-free number for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 1-800-827-1000. The Department of Veterans Affairs also administers the VA Health Professionals Educational Assistance Programs. The Scholarship Awards Program provides awards on a competitive basis for undergraduate and graduate students in health-care shortage categories such as nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and nurse anesthesia. The Reserve Member Stipend Awards Program provides aid for students who are (1) in the last year of an associate degree program in nursing or (2) in either the third or fourth year of a master's program in nursing, physical therapy, or occupational therapy. The reservist must also be a member of the Selected Ready Reserves, eligible for the Reserve GI Bill, and have a score above the 50th percentile on the Armed Forces Qualification Test. In return for awards from these programs, a participant is required to provide professional service for a designated period at a VA medical center. For further information, contact: The Health Professionals Educational Assistance Programs (143B), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Academic Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue N.W., Washington, DC 20420, or call 1-202-273-5400. Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) provides college-trained officers for the U.S. Army, the U.S. Army National Guard, and the U.S. Army Reserve. Offered at hundreds of colleges and universities across the nation, these four-year scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis to entering freshmen. The scholarships may be worth up to $48,000, paying for most college tuition and on-campus education fees, and providing an additional allowance for textbooks, supplies, equipment, and personal expenses. Application packets, information on eligibility, and the telephone number of an ROTC advisor in a student's area may be obtained from: Army ROTC, Gold Quest Center, P.O. Box 3279, Warminster, PA 18974-0128 or by calling 1-800-USA-ROTC. The Air Force ROTC college scholarship program, for high school seniors or graduates, targets those pursuing technical degrees. Four-year scholarships may be lengthened to five years in certain academic majors and programs. Air Force ROTC scholarships are awarded on the basis of individual merit, not financial need. The Air Force also offers scholarships to individuals who are already in college. These scholarships cover one to three years of a bachelor's degree program in certain engineering and science majors as well as in other categories--such as premedicine majors. Applications for Air Force ROTC scholarships may be obtained by writing to: HQAFROTC551 East Maxwell Blvd., Maxwell AFB, AL 36112-6106. The Naval Reserve Officers' Training Corps (NROTC) program offers young men and women an opportunity to qualify for commissions in the Navy and Marine Corps while attending college. This four-year scholarship is available to recent high school graduates and is awarded annually on the basis of high school class standings, college entrance test scores, extracurricular activities, and leadership qualities. The Navy pays for tuition, the cost of textbooks, instruction-related fees, and a subsistence allowance of $100 per month for a maximum of 40 academic months. For information concerning the NROTC scholarship program, contact any college that offers NROTC or write to: Commander, Navy Recruiting Command/Code 314, 4015 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22203. Nonfederal Sources: State, Private, Institutional Students should contact their state agencies for information about state programs. A student might qualify for a private grant or scholarship for academic achievement, religious affiliation, ethnic or racial heritage, community activity, artistic talent, leadership potential, athletic ability, proposed field of study, or hobbies and special interests. The American Legion offers an inexpensive guide to private sources of aid called Need a Lift? (See Appendix A for the address.) Other books about financial aid may be available through your school library or public library. In addition, many postsecondary schools have their own sources of student financial aid. Lastly, there are computerized scholarship search services that will match a prospective student with sources of financial aid. These services tend to be relatively expensive, so a student or parent should consider the extent of the search being offered before committing to such a service. More than 75 percent of all aid awarded comes from federal and state programs that students can easily find out about through The Student Guide and other publications. Some services guarantee that the student will be eligible for at least five sources of financial aid, but these sources may include the SFA programs. If someone has had problems with a scholarship search firm, he or she may contact the local Better Business Bureau or the U.S. Postal Service. See page 5 for information on obtaining individual copies of The Student Guide. |