SMART Grants

The Federal government recently created the Science and Math Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grant to encourage students to consider majors that contribute to our country's security. You may be eligible to receive an extra $4,000 per year in SMART Grant  if you are in your third or fourth year of school and majoring in any of the following subjects:

• Science
• Technology
• Mathematics
• Engineering
• Critical Foreign Languages (such as Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Arabic)

Unlike a student loan, you do not need to repay a SMART Grant as long as you remain eligible to receive the grant. In order to qualify for this funding from the government, you must meet the following specific requirements:

• You must be eligible for a Pell Grant.
• You must be a United States citizen, entering the third or fourth year of your undergraduate degree program.
• You must be enrolled full time in a degree program at an accredited four-year institution.
• You must have earned at least a 3.0 GPA over the course of the first two years in your undergraduate program.

The SMART Grant allows you to take your first two years to sample different majors and specialties. Once you choose a major, however, you must continue in it if you wish to continue receiving the grant. Selecting a qualifying major before the start of your junior year is the first step to take when applying for your SMART Grant. To apply for a SMART Grant, simply complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).