About Grants

Grants are considered gift aid and do not have to be repaid. Most grant aid is based on some type of need-based eligibility requirement; therefore, you must complete the FAFSA to apply for most grants. Sources of grants include federal, state, private, and institutional funds. Although grants are a very desirable source of financial aid, the availability of grants is generally limited to the more needy students. For more information about grants and other types of financial aid, read The Student Guide on the World Wide Web.

Federal Pell Grant

Federal Pell Grants are awarded based upon the analysis of the FAFSA, cost of attendance, and enrollment status (full or part time). Federal Pell Grants are awarded to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor’s or professional degree.

The United States Department of Education uses a standardized formula, established by Congress and called the Federal Needs Analysis Methodology, to evaluate the information you report on the FAFSA. The formula produces an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) number. The EFC number can range from zero to 99,999 or higher. Your Student Aid Report contains this number and will indicate if you are eligible for a Pell Grant.

Ohio Instructional Grant (OIG)

The Ohio Instructional Grant (OIG) is a state-funded grant program administered by the Ohio Board of Regents available to residents of the state of Ohio only. You must complete the FAFSA by October 1 of the award year to ensure consideration. You will receive a notice from the Ohio Board of Regents as to your eligibility.

The OIG formula uses certain data elements from the FAFSA to determine eligibility. Students must be attending an accredited school in Ohio on a full-time basis in order to receive OIG. Students who are registered less than full time are not eligible to receive OIG, but may qualify for Part-time Student Instructional Grant. Those students meeting the KCMA priority deadline of March 31 will be the first considered for the limited amount of Part-time Instructional Grant received by the institution each year.

Ohio Student Choice Grant

The Ohio Student Choice Grant Program provides financial assistance to full-time students enrolled for baccalaureate study in Ohio private non-profit colleges and universities. Recipients must be Ohio residents. Eligibility is not based on need or academic merit. No state application is required for this program. Recipients will be determined in the Financial Aid Office.

Academic Competitiveness Grant
An Academic Competitiveness Grant will provide up to $750 for the first year of undergraduate study and up to $1,300 for the second year of undergraduate study to full-time students who are U.S citizens, eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, and who had successfully completed a rigorous high school program, as determined by the state or local education agency and recognized by the Secretary of Education. Second year students must also have maintained a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0.

The program will be available for the first time for the 2006-07 school year for first year students who graduated from high school after January 1, 2006 and for second year students who graduated from high school after January 1, 2005. The Academic Competitiveness Grant award is in addition to the student's Pell Grant award.

Ohio College Opportunity Grant (OCOG)
The Ohio College Opportunity Grant Program (OCOG) provides need-based tuition assistance to Ohio students from low to moderate-income families. This program is a result of the merging of the Part-Time Instructional Grant and the Ohio Instructional Grant, with the intent to increase access to higher education. For the 2006-2007 academic year, a first time freshman enrolled as full-time, three quarters time, half-time or one quarter-time may be eligible to receive the award. Awards are based upon EFC (Expected Family Contribution). Students apply for OCOG benefits by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The application deadline is October 1 of each year.