<p>I know that you get to keep the Pel Grant regardless of the COA but does anyone know which specific grants allow you to keep the extra money that hasn't gone over the COA?</p>
<p>I am not sure I understand your question. If your EFC + grants and other need based aid, and merit aid do not exceed the COA you get to keep all of them. It is if they exceed the COA that they start reducing aid.</p>
<p>For instance my daughter gets the Pell, ACG, SEOG and a state grant. Her merit scholarships, the grants, WS and loans do not exceed the COA (they cannot - that are not allowed to). Any money left after the direct school costs are paid is paid to her to pay her other expenses (including rent, food, utilities etc as she lives off campus).</p>
<p>I asked a question similar to this a while back but now I just wanted to know which specific grants allow you to keep the extra money that doesn't exceed the COA but apparently all of them do. </p>
<p>For example, if I was going to college and living with my parents the COA would be around $12,000. However, because I am not going to be living at the school I would only really be paying around $5,000 for fees and books. Obviously my parent would provide food, housing, and transportation because I am living here. So if I got $7,000, I would be able to keep the remaining $2,000?</p>
<p>Why is the COA so high for students living with their parents?</p>
<p>most schools have 2 COA, 1 for students that live on campus, 1 for those that don't.</p>
<p>When you say "those that don't" are you referring to Off-Campus or with parents? This site lists 3 different COAs: With Parent, Off-Campus, and On-Campus.</p>
<p>CSU</a> | Student Academic Support | Campus Costs of Attendance for 2006-2007</p>
<p>Varies by school. Some schools may have just one COA for everyone. Others may have 2 - the same COA for on campus or off campus without parents and a different one for off campus with parents. Others may have 3 - one for each scenario. Financial aid is based on the COA your school has for your situation. So in the link you posted a student going to San Francisco State and living at home with parents would have a COA of 13,746 while a student living on campus or off campus without a parent would have a COA of $21,196. The 1st student would be eligible for $7450 less in aid than the 2nd.</p>
<p>Ok, my question has been answered.</p>
<p>Yes, you are entitled to keep all grants awarded to you even if they exceed the actual cost of tuition and fees, assuming there are no restrictions on the grants themselves. For example, a grant restricted to tuition may be reduced if your actual tuition costs are less than the estimated tuition costs used in estimating your award. </p>
<p>The purpose of COA is to establish a budget for awarding aid. You can be awarded aid up to the amount of need (COA-EFC). So yes, you may get more money than you are directly spending on school. I really caution students here --- if you are awarded loans & you don't actually need the money from those loans, please do not accept them. Grants are good - loans are not so good. Obviously, you acceot all grants you are given.</p>
<p>There is no way to tell you whether or not you'll be awarded grants in excess of your actual tuition & fee charges. You may or may not. You'll have to wait & see.</p>
<p>I have another question. What if you were going to a college that only had only two COAs, On-Campus and Off-Campus, and you were going to be living with your parents. How would the school determine the max amount of aid you could receive?</p>
<p>kelsmom, your post now brings me back to my first question in which I can now clarify: </p>
<p>Which grants are restricted to tuition?</p>
<p>No federal grants. You will have to check into the terms of any state grants or any institutional grants you may be awarded.</p>
<p>Would a Cal Grant be a state grant? Is a University Grant the same as an institutional grant? Is the SUG State University Grant completely different?</p>
<p>Sorry, I am not familiar with the California grants. Check the website & look at the terms of the grants.</p>