Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Minority Grants - How They Work

Many students falling under the minority groups will find a number of minority grants availed to them by different types of organization. These grants are offered to these students to allow them get the financial help they need in order to complete their studies. Unlike scholarships, these grants are not based on the academic merit as well as financial needs, or both; instead, they are based on the underrepresented students in schools across the country.

Types
Students will find two main types of funds to choose from. The first one is the ethnic minority grant that is designed to offer assistance to students as based on their ethnic challenges. These funds are available for students with an African-American background or Hispanics.

The other option is the non ethnic funds offered to students who are challenged in terms of physical barriers or in other ways when it comes to pursuing their education and professional career. There are minority grants that are meant for students who suffer from autism, ADD as well as physical disabilities. Women can take advantage of the women grants that are meant to help them get into different fields and programs that were traditionally meant for men.

Where to find them?
The students can get these funds from a variety of sources, starting with the federal and state government. These two have been proactive for offering them, and students can check out their websites for more information.

The other option is the minority foundations. There are quite a number of them offering these grants as well as scholarships for different groups of students, such as women or members of specific ethnic groups. It is the responsibility of the students to make sure that they are eligible for these funds before applying for them.

It is important to keep in mind that some of these options are very competitive and students need to keep checking out for them so that they take advantage of them and get to handle their finances for academic needs.

FAFSA matters
One of the most important things that students must keep in mind when looking for these funds is the FAFSA- Free application for Federal Student Aid. The student must complete this application, and submit it so that they are considered for the programs. Without this, they will not only miss their deadline but also forfeit their chances to earn thousands of dollars in college cash.

The Federal FAFSA deadline is June of every year, but the state deadlines vary from state to state. It is important that the students fill out the form in completion. They can also ask their financial aid department for assistance when applying for the minority grants. The FAFSA is the tool that will help determine whether the students qualify for the financial aid because these funds are offered as based on the financial needs of the students.

Getting minority grants is easy because there are different types of organizations offering them. However, students need to keep in mind that these minority grants are competitive and they require the FAFSA.


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