Grant Requirements

Once you've secured a grant for graduate or doctoral study, the process of keeping the grant begins. Each grant comes with its own rules and failing to meet grant requirements can mean losing the grant or having to repay it. Check out the following simple tips to keep your grants.

Research and institutional grants give you the opportunity to complete research, publication, or creative work related to your major, while receiving a stipend and other benefits from your institution or department. All grants are different, but there are a few general rules to keep in mind in order to keep your grants.

Stay Within Budget
If you secured a campus grant through your university or a general grant or fellowship through an application process, be sure to keep a copy of your application materials, award letter, or contract. You may have completed an itemized budget list that holds you to a certain spending limit on travel and expenses. Or you could have received a contract that requires you to keep receipts or other paperwork for the department. Even if you received money upfront, your department may require proof that you remained within budget as you completed your work.

Make Significant Progress
While the Federal Pell Grant is typically only available to undergraduates, it is possible to secure the grant if you are enrolled in a post-baccalaureate teacher certification program. If you are require to study in a specific major or area of study, it's important to continue to make significant progress within the major. You could also be required to enroll at least half time or complete a certain number of units per year.

Renew on Time
Some institutional grants and research fellowships arrive in a one-time award, and some require yearly renewal. Read the literature related to your grant to find out how you can renew the grant for the remainder of your graduate or doctoral degree study. Some grants require yearly renewal through completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which you can complete as early as the January prior to the academic school year.