AC (Academic Competitiveness) and SMART Grants
The Higher Education Reconciliation Act (HERA), signed in February 2006, announced two new college student grants:
AC Grant
Academic Competitiveness Grant for first-year and second-year students at a degree-granting school.
SMART Grant
National Science and Mathematics Access
to Retain Talent Grant
for student’s third and fourth years of
undergraduate study at a 4-year degree-granting school
Both programs
require that the student be:
- a Pell Grant Recipient,
- a U.S. citizen,
- enrolled full time in a degree program.
AC Grants
- Award up to $750 for the first academic year,
- Up to $1,300 for the second year.
For
2008-2009 awards, the student:
- If a first-year student, must have graduated from high school after
Jan. 1, 2008 and not have been previously enrolled in an undergraduate
program as a regular student
- If a
second-year student, must have graduated from high school after Jan. 1,
2007, and have had at least a cumulative 3.0 grade-point average (GPA)
during the first year of college To see a list of the courses and
criteria each state requires for a “rigorous secondary school program of
study” go to http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/about/ac-smart/state-programs06.html
SMART
Grants
- Award up to $4,000 for the third and the fourth years
of college.
Students must:
- Be pursuing a major in mathematics, science (including physical,
life, and computer sciences), technology, engineering, or a critical
foreign language
- Have at least a
cumulative 3.0 GPA in the student’s program of study
NOTES:
If sufficient funds for a program are not available in an
award year, dollar amounts may be reduced.
For further
information on the grants, visit http://www.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/competitiveness/ac-smart.html.
For a list of eligible majors
for the SMART grants, visit http://www.ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/attachments/GEN0606A.pdf.