Federal grants give students the opportunity to pay for college without the use of student loans.
The Academic Competitiveness Grant, more commonly called the AC Grant, was created by Congress for the 2006-2007 academic year. It was first made available to first year and second year students in 2007.
With the AC Grant, the first year of study is complimented by $750 of award money and the second year of study receives up to $1,300 of award. This award combined with the Federal Pell Grant, cannot exceed the entire cost of schooling. It is also possible that more students will receive the award than would allow the government to issue the full amount to each student. In such cases, the awarded amount may be reduced in order to accomodate all eligible students.
To be eligible for the Academic Competitiveness Grant, the student must be enrolled as at least a part time student, be a US citizen or a non-citizen that has been deemed eligible to receive the grant. In order to gain the AC Grant, the student must also be a recipient of the federal Pell Grant and be in the first two years of their undergraduate coursework. The student must also have completed a “rigorous secondary school program” if a first year student; if gaining the grant as a second year student, there must be at least a 3.0 GPA maintained on a scale of 4.0 at the end of the first year of coursework.
In order to obtain the Academic Competitiveness Grant, students must have the dedication necessary to work hard throughout their undergraduate careers and strive for excellence. Federal Government Grants such as the AC grant are available to those students that are able to maintain high standards of excellence and have professional career goals that require such levels of higher education.