Columbia University Student Financial Services

Certain federal grants are offered to qualified students through the Department of Education. There is no application process for these grants; they are awarded by the financial aid office on select criteria. The following grants are available to undergraduate students:

Federal Pell Grants

Federal Pell Grants are given to undergraduate students who have not yet earned a bachelor's or professional degree. Pell Grants are awarded based on financial need as demonstrated on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Pell is a federal grant, not a loan, and does not need to be paid back.

For the 2009-10 award year (July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010), the maximum Pell Grant award for a full-time student is $5,350 and the minimum Pell Grant award for a full-time student is $976.  The maximum can change each award year and depends on program funding. The amount you receive will depend not only on your financial need, but also on your costs to attend school, your status as a full-time or part-time student, and your plans to attend Columbia for a full academic year or less.

Updates to the Federal Pell Grant Program
In accordance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, the following updates are effective July 1st, 2009:

•    A student may be eligible to receive up to two scheduled Federal Pell Grant awards during a single award year if the student is enrolled at least half-time for more than one academic year (more than two semesters or the equivalent, such as enrolling for the fall, spring, and summer terms during the same award year).  In order to receive this “Year-Round Pell,” the student can be enrolled at any status for the first two terms in which they will receive their first Pell Grant award but must be enrolled at least half-time for the third term to receive the second Pell Grant award.
 
•    Children of U.S. military veterans may be eligible to receive the maximum Federal Pell Grant award if their parent or guardian was a member of the U.S. Armed Forces and died as a result of performing military service in Iraq or Afghanistan after September 11, 2001.  The student must have been under 24 years of age or enrolled in college at the time of the parent or guardian's death. In addition, the student must already be eligible for the Federal Pell Grant award under the original determination of eligibility.

•    Any student who is subject to an involuntary civil commitment after completing a period of incarceration for a forcible or non-forcible sexual offense is ineligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG)

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) is awarded to undergraduate students with exceptional financial need--those with the lowest Expected Family Contribution (EFC) numbers as determined on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)--who have not yet earned a baccalaureate degree. SEOG is a federal grant and does not have to be repaid.

Unlike Pell Grants, the amount of SEOG you receive depends not only on your financial need but also on the amount of other aid you get and the availability of funds at your school. Each school participating in SEOG receives a certain amount of SEOG funds each year from the U.S. Department of Education. When all of those funds have been disbursed for that award year, no more SEOG awards can be made for that year.

It is important to apply early to be considered for these funds. Not everyone who qualifies for an SEOG might get one.

Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)

Effective July 1, 2006, this is a new grant program available through the U.S. Department of Education that provides financial assistance to Pell-eligible students.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the ACG in New York State, a student must:

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant
• Be enrolled full time in a degree program
• Be enrolled in the first or second academic year program of study at a two-year or four-year degree-granting institution
• Have completed a rigorous secondary school program of study (after January 1, 2006, if a first-year student, and after January 1, 2005, if a second-year student) such as:
  - a New York State Regents Diploma with Honors or Advanced Designation or
  - completion of a set of courses similar to the State Scholars Initiative or
  - a specified score on Advance Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses
• If a first-year student, not have been previously enrolled in an undergraduate program
• If a second-year student, have at least a cumulative 3.0 grade point average for the first academic year

Awards

• Up to $750 for the first year of undergraduate study
• Up to $1,300 for the second year of undergraduate study

National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grant

The National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grant provides financial assistance to Pell-eligible students.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the SMART grant in NYS, a student must:

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant
• Be enrolled full time in a degree program
• Be enrolled in the third or fourth academic year program of study at a four-year degree-granting institution
• Major in physical, life or computer science, engineering, mathematics, technology, or a critical foreign language
• Have at least a cumulative 3.0 grade point average

Awards

Up to $4,000 for each of the third and fourth academic years of study