SMART Grants

If you're in your third or fourth year of school and are majoring in science, technology, mathematics, engineering, or a critical foreign language (including Russian, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean), you could qualify for a SMART Grant. The federal government created the Science and Math Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grant to increase the number of majors that contribute to our country's overall security.

If you qualify for a SMART grant, you could receive $4000 per year toward your college education. Because it's a grant, it doesn't have to be repaid.

SMART Qualifications
In addition to majoring in one of the stated fields, you also need to meet the following criteria to qualify for a SMART grant:

• Be eligible for Pell Grant
• Be a US citizen
• Be entering the third or fourth year of your undergraduate degree program
• Be enrolled full-time at an accredited college or university

You also need to have at least a 3.0 GPA during your first two years of college. If you're just beginning school and are considering majoring in one of the qualifying majors, make sure you keep your grades up. Receiving less than a 3.0 in either year makes you ineligible to apply for the SMART Grant. In addition, once you receive a SMART Grant, you are required to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA.

Thinking SMART Ahead of Time
If you take courses outside of one of the SMART fields of study, or even try out different majors, you can still qualify to receive a SMART Grant during your junior year. In order to be eligible for the grant, you need to select one of the listed majors before your junior year. Once you choose this major, you are required to continue in it in order to receive the grant.

You need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to apply for a SMART grant.