Office of Financial Aid

Federal Grants

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Federal Pell Grant Program

Undergraduates enrolled in a degree or certificate program may apply. Eligibility for a Federal Pell Grant is determined by family income and assets, size of family, number in college and other factors.

The amount of the award for 2010-2011 is expected to range from $278 to $5,550, depending on level of eligibility and total college costs.

Students should apply directly to the federal government for this grant using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students enrolled less than half time may be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant.

Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant

The Academic Competitiveness Grant could provide up to $750 for eligible students in their first academic year and up to $1,300 for the second year of study. Students must be eligible for a Federal Pell grant.

• Be a U.S. citizen;
• Be a Federal Pell Grant recipient
• Be enrolled full time in an eligible degree or certificate program;
• Be enrolled in the first or second academic year of his or her program of study
• Have completed a rigorous secondary school program of study (after January 1, 2006)
• If a first year student, not have been previously enrolled in an undergraduate program while still in high school; and
• If a second year student, have at least a 3.0 grade point average for the first academic year.

The U.S. Department of Education and the State Education Department have clarified the definition of what is a rigorous secondary school program. New York State students who receive a Regents diploma with honors or a Regents diploma with advanced designation would satisfy the requirement.

Students who do not have a regents diploma with honors or with advanced designation, may have other options to meet the requirement for a rigorous secondary school program based on the specific courses taken in high school. It is also possible for students to use one of the following two options to satisfy the requirement:

1. A required set of courses with passing grades including four years of English, three years of Math (including Algebra I and a higher level math course such as Algebra II, Geometry, or Data Analysis and Statistics), three years of science (including at least two courses from biology, chemistry or physics), three years of social studies, and one year of a foreign language.


2. Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses and test scores. Students may be eligible if they have a minimum of two Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses in high school with a minimum passing score of 3 or higher on AP and 4 or higher on IB exams.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program

These grants are available to eligible students in the amounts of $100 to $4000 per academic year. Priority is given to Federal Pell Grant recipients with the lowest estimated family contributions.

Federal Aid to Native Americans

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) provides annual scholarship grants to Native American students to aid them in attending institutions of higher learning. Students interested in a scholarship grant must contact the BIA or agency office that keeps the records of enrollment if their particular tribe.