Student Grants

Education Grants

In today’s world a high school diploma or GED is simply not enough anymore and education grants can help you take your education further. Standards for hiring and quality of pay have been steadily changing over the past few decades, trending towards a new economic reality.

Whereas before it was easy to find yourself a skilled laborer job, or work as a receptionist without much, if any, higher education, competition for these jobs is so stiff today that many applicants who previously would have been qualified are being passed over in favor of those with a college degree.

If you want to stay competitive in the new global economy you’re going to need more than just a high school diploma or GED. To enjoy the same quality of life enjoyed by generations passed you’re going to need some form of higher education. Higher education doesn’t always have to mean a four-year bachelor’s degree though. Even a two-year associate’s degree will help elevate your above the fray of other applicants, increasing your visibility to employers by showing that you have pursued some sort of post-secondary education.

Why Education Matters

Many employers are no longer willing to hire applicants who show they haven’t pursued their education past high school. Not only is this because of the need to select the absolute best from an increasingly high volume of applicants but also many jobs are now becoming much more technically oriented, requiring further education to be fully qualified for employment.

The High Cost of Higher Education

The problem that many people run into is that they haven’t been adequately prepared for the financial demands of higher education. With college tuitions rising across the country, paying for school can seem like a daunting task. It is this financial burden that keeps many people from being able to pursue a degree and therefore, keeps them from finding a good paying job with which they can support themselves and their family.

Thankfully, both private investors and government entities are fully aware of this economic reality and the pace of inflation in college tuition is being kept up with by the number and availability of education grants.

Everyone Has an Agenda

Private investors understand that it is in in their best interest that you, their potential future worker, are as best educated as can possibly be. Business owners and financial engineers want to flood the workplace with highly educated applicants because they know that if they invest in your education early on you will make a good worker and pay that money back in spades by doing good work for their company.

Therefore, it is mutually beneficial to both management and labor to have a better educated workforce so private investors are willing to put some of their disposable income towards a worthy cause, knowing that not only are they helping those in need but they are potentially helping themselves in the future by ensuring that there will be a high volume of well-educated qualified applicants. Government invests in education grants based on these same principles.

Government Involvement

Governments understand that the strength of their economy comes from the strength and quality of their workforce. Especially in this pivotal moment at the dawn of the 21st century governments understand that without a well-educated workforce it will be difficult, if not impossible, to stay competitive in today’s cutthroat global economy.

That being said, governments are willing to give qualified citizens the tools they need to pursue their education and someday be a product part of their economy. These tools generally come in the form of education grants.

Grants vs. Loans

The great thing about education grants is that they do not have to be paid back. They are essentially free money provided by private investors or government entities. Why would anyone give away money for free? Well, because they are banking on the assumption that this money will be repaid by the recipient of the funds, not directly through a payment system as is the case with student loans but by being a productive member of the workforce and contributing to the economic growth of the region or business.

That being said, education grants are a great way to help finance your higher education without finding yourself drowning in a sea of debt after you receive your degree.

Limited by Debt

Many people who have taken very high amounts of student loans also find that they are unable to pursue a job in the career or field they truly want to because with such a high amount of money to pay back they are forced to take any job they can get just to make sure they have income and can pay back the loans.

Otherwise they risk causing irreparable harm to their credit rating, leading to a whole host of other problems later in life when they wish to finance a vehicle, get a mortgage for a home or start a business.

With education grants you are free to pursue a career in the field you wish without your student loan debt hanging over your head like a financial Sword of Damocles, forcing you into accepting any job so long as the pay is decent.

Competition for Grants

While the competition for grants is a bit stiffer, there are many avenues that one can take to make sure that you receive some financial assistance with your education. It should be understood that grants are always going to be harder to receive than loans.

Student education loans are there so that any person, regardless of socio-economic class, ability, location or outlook can receive some form of assistance in paying for their education.

Knowing What You Want to Do

Nearly anyone can apply for a student loan and be approved. The problem is that since nearly anyone can be approved many people with low motivation find themselves halfway through their education and decide that what they are doing isn’t for them, leaving their degree unfinished with tens or even thousands of dollars in loans to pay back with nothing to show for it.

Grants are set up to be awarded to those students and potential students who show that they have an inordinate amount of motivation and are deserving of a leg up in the world of higher education. The reason that grants are harder to receive is that they are a higher risk investment. Governments know that one way or another, student loans must be, and are going to be repaid because of the loan agreement signed by the recipient of funds.

Idea of Grant Payback

Grants on the other hand are given out with the idea that the money will be paid back indirectly by the recipient through a lifetime of contribution to the economy.

However, since there is no explicit guarantee that the money will be repaid as it is possible for a recipient to use the money and perhaps not finish school or enter into a line of work that doesn’t have direct benefit for the financier or the loan, grants will always require those who apply for them to go through a much more stringent qualification process.

Qualifying for Grants

While the process for applying for loans can be very stringent, qualifying for application is usually fairly easy. There are education grants that are specifically catered to people from all walks of life, interested in all sorts of fields of study and in nearly every socio-economic class. Let’s say that you’re a young inner city youth who is imbued with a love of mechanics and would like to pursue a career in mechanical engineering, or aeronautical engineering. You’ll find that there are a vast number of resources online tailored to those who are interested in pursuing a career in engineering. You are sure to recognize the names of the some of the organizations who fund these grants.

NASA Grants

For example, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, better known as NASA offers education funding to those who are interested in this field of study. NASA funds a program known as the NASA Aeronautics Scholarship Program which provides up to $15,000 of tuition assistance to undergraduate students per year, $11,000 worth or tuition assistance to graduate students as well as a $35,000 cost of living stipend for up to three years.

While this amount certainly won’t pay for the entirety of your education, it certainly takes a decent sized chunk out of it and every little bit helps. As an undergraduate student that’s an extra $15,000 per year that stays in your pocket without coming out of student loans.

You’ve Qualified, Now What?

Now let’s say that you’ve qualified for this grant or another like it but are still in need of more financial assistance. Well, taking into account your socio-economic background you will find education grants online that are set up just for you. Perhaps you were a stellar athlete in high school and came from a low-income background.

The PeyBack Foundation, established in 1999 by Indianapolis Colts quarterback Payton Manning provides financial assistance to at risk youth with a love of athletics that wish to pursue higher education. With so many ways to qualify for free financial assistance nearly anyone can follow their dreams and receive assistance paying for an education that will help place them in a career they love, without having to saddle themselves with quite as much debt as people who don’t know, or don’t believe that they qualify for education loans.

Education Grants for Women

College campuses are no longer the boy’s club that they once were, even as late as the turn of the 20th century. Today women are empowered by their liberated role in society and are free to pursue an education that will lead them to a career they love.

Whereas not much more than one hundred years ago the majority of college professors were middle-aged white men, today the make-up of faculties at universities across America is much more diverse, to the extreme benefit of the country as a whole.

Because of this change in the college demographic it is now easier than ever for women to finance their education and help themselves work towards a career that they love. No longer are women disregarded on college campuses, marginalized when they expressed interested in post-secondary education or simply denied the opportunity to better themselves and their economic situation through higher education.

A Diverse World Opens Doors

On the contrary, in the 21st century, and even as far back as the mid-20th century, there are a variety of grant programs dedicated to make sure that intelligent and motivated young women have the tools to finance their education and provide for themselves and their families the quality of life they expect.

There are education grants available to women of all walks of life, interested in all manner of degree program. The glass ceiling in the work place for women has long been shattered and women can now pursue careers in fields that were once stereotyped as exclusively male, be that engineering, business, finance, scientific research or academics.

A Wide Range of Opportunity

Again it is worth noting that not only can young women find grants based off the fact that women have historically met with resistance when attempting to enter the work force or the world of higher education but also can find education grants tailored to what specific field they wish to study in. If you are a young women who is interested in a pursuing a career in finance, there are a host of other resources online that will help you find a grant based on your desire to work in the world of finance.

With so many different ways to find education grants based on so many different factors, it is possible to qualify for a number of different grants and receive funding for your education for numerous sources, greatly reducing the cost you will have to pay out of pocket and helping you prosper later in life when you receive your degree and don’t have tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in high interest loans to pay back.

Applying For a Grant

As previously mention, applying for a grant is a much more complicated process then applying for a loans. Student education loans are essentially freely available to anyone who applies for them because when you have to sign a document agreeing to pay back to loans over a certain amount of time.

Therefore the financier of the loan, usually a state or federal government is guaranteed repayment, otherwise you’re looking at unpleasant legal actions, not to mention a severely crippled credit score.

With grants, since there is no explicit, legal guarantee of repayment the process for applying for a grant is much more stringent. It is very easy to quality, as we’ve discussed. There are grant programs relating to all manner of persona factors, be it socio-economic background, race, gender, personal interests or intended field of study. However, once you find a grant that you qualify for you’ll need to go through the application process.

Making Your Goals Clear

If you are applying for a grant intended for young women wishing to study and work in the field of computer science if will not be enough to simply be a young women interested in that particular line of work. Usually, you’ll need to write a proposal of some sort, stating your qualifications for the grant, you reason for applying and why you feel that it is in the best interest of the grant provider that they award the grant to you.

The first step in apply for any kind of financial aid, whether it is a federal loan, Pell Grant, or private scholarship is the fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. The FAFSA is the spark that sets the engine in motion on the grant application process. It allows prospective financiers of your education to view your economic needs, which will help you come to a decision about whether or not they are to award financial assistance to you.

The Application Process

Applying for a grant can be a long, complicated and frustrating process but in the end you’ll be glad you did it. Sure, you’ll probably have to spend hours upon hours filling out forms, writing proposals, crafting personal essays and pleading your case to someone who potentially holds your future in their hands but this is all part of the process.

Besides, if you’re the type of person that is interested in pursuing higher education, you’re going to have to get used to working hard to put yourself through school, not just convincing people to help finance your education but also to do well in your classes and graduate with an adequate GPA.

How Grants Benefit Your Post-Education Life

How many people do you know with a Bachelor’s, Master’s or Doctorate degree that are working a job they hate just so they can pay of their loans? How many well-educated, well-qualified individuals do you know that are working a job well below their skill set just because they have to make sure they can make ends meet and repay their debts?

Is this the life you want for yourself after college, or graduate school? Wasn’t being able to work a job you enjoy while providing for yourself and perhaps a family the whole reason you pursued higher education in the first place? Then do yourself a favor and apply for as many scholarships and grants as you possibly can.

As we’ve discussed there are grants, basically free money, available to all manner of person, interested in all manner of career field, available to anyone with the drive to do well for themselves and their families in life. These grants allow you to pursue your education and stay competitive in today’s cut throat job market without resigning yourself to a lifetime of debt.

Think of how liberating it will feel to receive your degree without a massive debt hanging over you.

Your credit will thank you and you’re going to be more likely to get a car loan, a home loan or a business loan. You’ll be able to pursue a job in the field of your dreams without having to settle for the first job that comes along just so you know that you’ll be able to make payments on your student loans. You’ll also find that with less debt, you’re more likely to take your education further, past undergraduate education because you are confident in your financial footing.

Winning by Being Debt Free

By taking your education further and keeping yourself as debt free as possible you’re ensuring a stable, productive future for yourself. For all these reasons and more it is plain to see that finding education grants for which you qualify is not only possible, but really quite easy and is a great way to finance not just your education but also a better life for yourself in the future.

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26 Comments

  • Reply Atsacha April 21, 2011 at 12:58 pm

    I am an undergraduate in one of the Nigerian State Universities- Adamawa State University ,Mubi, that is interested in being awarded the grants mentioned above. Supposing i can get the amount $60000 say in the week we are in- second to the last or the last week of April 2011- it will help me considerably to register and complete deferment process and remain a student then concentrate and/or continue with the Bsc Chemistry program i am presently doing.
    I will use the grant to pay school fees, buy textbooks and other school materials. Then i will buy a laptop (computer), software, electronic gadgets that will facilitate studies and/or research. Get an accomodation and means of transportation.I will utilize certain percent to buy shares so as to yield dividend, a percent for profit-making business which will be directly controlled by an employee or someone else, and indirectly controlled by myself since i am to concentrate on academics/research not only for the purpose of learning and passing the examination excellently, but to see how i can be of help to the society at large in discoveries or adding values. I will save a reasonable part of the grant and use certain percent on other important things.

    EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

    I attended public schools, on average in a class when at the primary and secondary schools my performance was above average , hence i used to be the best in my class /school or one of the best. The same thing when at the Polytechnic- studying for Ordinary National Diploma (OND) and Higher National Diploma(HND) Science Laboratory Technology (Biochemistry/ Chemistry). But the present BSc Chemistry i am doing due to financial constraint there is a decline in my performance which can be overcome when those things mentioned are obtained to enhance studies.

    FAMILY BACKGROUND

    I belong to a polygamous family -because my dad married a second wife, and my mum is insane being the eldest in the family among the children i suppose to act fast to save the family , community, society, country, continent and the world at large.

    CONCLUSION

    When given the grant for instance today as an installment payment to be completed in the week or month i will utilize the grant first and foremost to learn so as to make excellent result and to be involved in research to add value to the society.Secondly invest in some profit-making ventures to increase the grant worth and be able to support other individuals and families as well.

    Hence the reason of applying for this grant if i can get it paid to my account today or tomorrow it will be of help to me. Account number 01100040885299 UBA NIGERIA Savings. Account Name Atsacha Augustine Tel 08138659446

    • Reply Atsacha Augustine March 7, 2020 at 5:53 pm

      I am the one applied for or showed interest in scholarship many years ago .Perhaps any of my statements that time did not hold true perfectly, I am sorry.But I still have interest in scholarship , kindly do something urgently about it.

      • Reply Atsacha Augustine March 7, 2020 at 5:56 pm

        I am the one who applied for or showed interest in scholarship many years ago .Perhaps any of my statements that time did not hold true perfectly, I am sorry.But I still have interest in scholarship , kindly do something urgently about it. +2348107398587

  • Reply Derek Elizondo April 25, 2011 at 9:00 pm

    I am working parent who at forty is striving for a career in education. I would like to be a Special Education Teacher. I feel as a person who has ADHD I have something to offer.

  • Reply Amy Mathe July 11, 2011 at 3:45 am

    Hi, i am a thirty year old woman who is very interested in becoming a personal support worker, but not sure how to go about getting funding! I have a friend who runs a company who sends workers out to different locations, and she said im the perfect candidate for this line of work, cause i have a sister with ceberal palsy(been helping my mother raise her for almosty 30 years), and she is willing to hire me when i am done the course but like i said im not entirely sure on how to apply for funding!!! Thanks!!!

  • Reply Suzanne Dyess July 20, 2011 at 5:32 pm

    I am interested in getting an educational grant for my career in the fitness field. Also a small business management course to have my own business one day in the near future.

    • Reply Suzanne Dyess July 20, 2011 at 5:37 pm

      I need an educational grant to pursue my career in the fitness field. I need about $2100 to purchase my fitness courses and a small business mangement course to have my own business one day.
      Thanks, Suzanne Dyess

  • Reply M,asif December 1, 2011 at 4:29 am

    I am enough poor that i con’t bear purchase my easiantial books to read regularly.my father is farmer.he don’t give me money for my eduction.i teache in private schol to get money for my expention.i am student of bsc computer engineering.please help me.i will be than ful to u

  • Reply samuel kwasi adams January 5, 2012 at 8:43 am

    My name is samuel Kwasi Adams from Accra-Ghana i am 24 years of age,a graduate from senior high in the year 2007 ,I have been struggling to further my education but every attempt met failure i am desperate to go to university this year 2012,MY DAD is no more and my mum too is old. I need a helper just to help me further my education.You can reach me at samuelkwasiadams@yahoo.com or 00233-240-427434 Hope to hear from you.Thank you.

  • Reply kashif iqbal January 18, 2012 at 4:33 pm

    i am a disable student of pakistan and want to get disale students international aid

  • Reply Pravesh satyal January 24, 2012 at 1:45 am

    i am a nepalese citizen,due to the financial condition i could not able to continue my study.though upto +2 level i have completed my study…and i just want to devoted in study only but due to economic condition i could not..do i get help from your institution side…

  • Reply TONY LWICH January 25, 2012 at 1:47 pm

    My name is Tony Lwich Wasike,am aged 21 years of age and am in need for the facilitation of my University Undergraduate degree program.Am Kenyan,I was born an original why die a copy.If you can help contact me via my email id :lwichtutuwasi@yahoo.com.

    reply

  • Reply sydney lonex February 5, 2012 at 12:24 pm

    i am a student at the Malawi polytechnic and in my third year. I am faced with a problem of tuition that has forced me to start thinking of withdrawing from the college. i am therefore pleading for assistance to evade the possibility of withdrawal. for more information on the reasons behind my situation please e-mail me through the same address.

  • Reply Thato lentswane February 19, 2012 at 5:57 pm

    Hey im turnin 21 n i was wishing you could help me i was a a student boston college in 2010 i passd my couse vary well i stadied credit control io 2011 i couldnt studin another course becouse of finance i was at home all so im just askin plz help me dis year i wana studie iv been raisd by a single she doesnt work she is volenterer at creach she’s tryin her bst bt anything is comin our way

  • Reply Ashfaq Ahmad March 2, 2012 at 5:14 pm

    Sir i am ashfaq awan i want a grant my school in this i gave them fre education plz give me grant for education ADREs pobox house no 36 police colony MUZAFAR Garh city punjab Pakistan cel 00923336034213

  • Reply kabtimer Tuji March 2, 2012 at 7:03 pm

    Learning in a poor country is difficult as to touch a sky with a finger,so please please please help me to learn more and more!!!! Helpers just to help me please reach to me with kabtimer.2g2010@gmail.com/+251911925226

  • Reply Mark Mendrun April 27, 2012 at 9:52 pm

    My name is Mark, I’m going to bible school in Sweden in August for 20 months and need about $9000 to be able to support myself out there.

  • Reply Marilyn McClelland May 4, 2012 at 4:10 pm

    I am currently enrolled in classes and expect to graduate December 2012. I am also registered for Summer classes at the University of North Texas/Denton however my Spring Financial aid has been exhausted and I have no money available to attend Summer school. I found this out by just stopping by Financial Aid a few minutes ago.

    I would like to know if I qualify for a summer grant totaling approximately $2700 to continue my education for the summer and graduate on December 2012.

    Thank you.

    Marilyn McClelland

  • Reply Carlanda Davis June 5, 2012 at 2:06 am

    I’d like to further my education….and from reading the article above, I realize the only thing stopping me is the financial piece. COTA or PTA….I need approx 10k to complete this training….

    Thanks
    C Davis

  • Reply LISA NYE August 1, 2012 at 2:46 am

    I would like to apply for a grant to help my son finish his education. He is 19 and only has three classes to go until he is finished. I need to find a way to get him 1300.00 so he can get into his graduation class. I need to find it before the middle of August 2012. He is going for auto mechanics at Universal Technical school and his grades have been straight B’s. He is afflicted with ADHD and only learns well in hands on schooling. Please help me make him a successful, employable citizen.

    Lisa Nye

  • Reply Jeanetta McKinley April 3, 2013 at 12:04 am

    I am a 38 year old woman who have exhausted her financial aid. I have 5 more classes to obtain by Bachelor’s Degree in Health Studies at Walden University. I was looking for a grant or loan to help with the 5 classes that is needed to graduate. Anyone with any information please email me at jeanettamckinley@yahoo.com.

  • Reply Atiya Shakoor July 15, 2013 at 10:40 pm

    I am a high school graduate of 2013 from Tucker High in Tucker, GA. For the first time ever, I have a desire to go to college. What sparked my interest, a old man sitting in front of a corner store said something so profound to me. He said, “Hey girl, don’t end up like me with no hope!” I didn’t exactly know what he meant. But then he said, “I chose not to go to school and now look at me”. Something came over me. I knew then he was a messenger waiting to give me the message I needed. Although, my mom and friends would tell me the many reasons to go to college, I couldn’t hear of it. But, this little old man that sat on a curb was the voice that spoke words of gold. So, I want to go to college and need a little help financially. what can I do to make it happen?

  • Reply Lisa Frymire July 28, 2013 at 5:42 pm

    I currently have a California Teaching Crediential and a Masters in Education I would like to continue my Education in recieveing a Masters in education specifically in the concentration of English Language Learners. I have been in education for 24 years and have worked from the bottom up. Looking into the future and looking at the greatest needs for students I feel a Masters in this area wpuld assi me in further meeting the needs of students.

  • Reply jimmy fantauzzi November 12, 2013 at 3:01 am

    I am a single dad with 5 children, 4 of which live with me. It’s just me and the kids. My daughter of 15 yrs. is working very hard in school and is trying to get accepted in a junior and senior high school year Math and Science institute which comes with a small tuition and needs fee that I am paying out of pocket and she is trying to pay by herself with her academics to qualify for the minimum tuition fee. All I’m asking for is a grant that will help me finish my associates degree, which I have to change cause I have to work and provide care to my other children and prepare to pay for their coming college tuitions. I was a Radiography student, ( I’m willing to change my major to work on an online associates degree), and put my schooling on hold to provide for my children and have been putting it on hold ever since. My wife passed on so it’s been just me since my oldest daughter was 5. While I was attending school I held a 3 – 3.5 average. I am very motivated and would appreciate any assistance with paying for my Associates Degree or finding out how I can pay it without altering my plans to pay for my kids education (they must come first). I would like to work on a Masters Degree which I believe if I can get help with my associates degree, I can pay for the rest of my education myself. I am sorry that I have to ask for this help but it seem s if I don’t I’ll never get to finish my education. Please tell me what I need to do.

  • Reply Taryn Calloway August 3, 2016 at 5:56 pm

    I am 18 years old and I have been accepted into the University of Kentucky. Most of my freshman year is paid for but I am lacking $2125. I have been working two jobs all summer and still cannot come up with this part if my tuition. I am just looking for some financial assistants/ guidance.

  • Reply Amanda lloyd January 21, 2019 at 11:05 am

    Aim trying to give myself and my son a better life, if there is any willing people to assist.
    This is my story in short,
    Am a hard worker but can’t get work as most of the opportunities is only EE .After my mother died we had nothing and no one left, We move from one province to another thinking things will be better, but as they say the grass is not greener on the other side, all our furniture is lost and money i lost with the removal company. My son is so unhappy in the school crying at night children bullying him i have spoken to all, but no solution, i have done my best but i cannot getting better job i want to place him in a overseas school but i can’t afford it, he sleeps on a sponge mattress, i want to give him a proper bed even if it is second hand i cant afford it, he has no friends and has nothing to do, i want to give him a bicycle even if it is a old one, but can’t afford it, i want to study to get a job that can support us better, but no money. Is there anyone that can help.
    As things are in South Africa there is no hope for us in SA, we struggle every day to just get by. I want to give him the life he deserves as this is a basic human right, but is SA there are no rights. Things are so expensive, you can hardly buy food From a R1000, No medical assistance all they say is they don’t have doctors available to assist you or even medicine. We fear for our lives every day in the car or at night not knowing you will rob or break in and Kill us.
    If i have to immigrate as a refuge for my sons’ sake i will. I will not come and stay for free in your country, but I will work and work if so be it. Please help

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