Colleges and universities provide many ways for students to attend without having to raise funds for books, housing, meals and tuition on their own. By researching all the options, students can find government grants and student loans applicable to their particular situation, making it easier for most students to earn a degree. This is especially useful for parents whose children are about to go off to college, as tuition can sometimes become an economic burden on families.
For military spouse parents who have a child in college already, paying tuition can be especially difficult. When the parent in the military passes away in the line of duty, tuition becomes even more burdensome as there are few independent college scholarships and programs to help pay for college in these circumstances.
A new option for U.S. Military service members is the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant, which is available beginning in the 2010-2011 academic year. This allows students who are not eligible for Pell Grants to attend the colleges and universities of their choice if their parents or guardians died as a result of post-September 11, 2001, service in Iraq or Afghanistan. Similar to many financial aid scholarships for college, Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants have some student eligibility requirements that must be met. Students must be under 24 years old, or enrolled in college at least part-time at the time of the military parent or guardian’s death.
Pell Grants for college are awarded in varying amounts. Generally determined by the student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), they take into account your full or part-time student status, your financial need and your costs to attend school. Like these grants, the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant does not need to be repaid, and is subject to Title IV eligibility requirements.
Sometimes, families fill out a FAFSA only to discover that they’re making “too much” money and are therefore ineligible for Pell grant programs based on their high Estimated Family Contribution (EFC). In such cases, the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant is awarded in the same amount as the maximum Pell Grant for that award year. Adjustments are made for the student’s status and attendance cost, regardless of EFC.