<p>So I just got my financial aid package for one school I was accepted to (yeah it's early I know). Within it, the breakdown shows my merit scholarship, "University Assistance Grant", and Stafford loan eligibility. My question: will I be getting some sort of separate federal grant pretty soon?</p>
<p>Any federal grants will be awarded to you by the school and are included in the aid award from the school. Federal grants don’t come separately. Is your EFC low? To be eligible for a Pell grant (the main federal grant) requires an EFC of around 5200 is last year (the cut off for 2011-2012 has not been announced yet).</p>
<p>What was your EFC? If it’s above 5273, then you won’t get anything.</p>
<p>Wait. So your saying if my EFC is above 5273… I’m guaranteed to get 0 federal aid? That sounds a little unfair…</p>
<p>Federal grant aid is extremely limited and is for very low income students only. The EFC cut off for federal grant aid is very low. The Pell is the main federal grant aid - the maximum is $5550 a year which requires a 0 EFC. The amount of pell goes down as the EFC goes up and is $0 once your EFC goes over the cut off of 5273. So if your EFC is over that you are not eligible for the Pell. You are eligible for federal loans and may be eligible for work study depending on your EFC and your school’s policies on awarding it.</p>
<p>You will qualify for federal loans. You may possibly be offered federal work study. There are no federal grants other than Pell and FSEOG … so no, you will not qualify for federal grants with your EFC.</p>