Types of Financial Aid

Grants

SMART Grant
Federal Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent

The enactment of the Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005 (HERA) among other things created the National Science and Mathematics Access To Retain Talent Grant (SMART) effective with the 2006-07 Award Year. The U.S. Department of Education recently published interim implementing regulations and we have begun identifying and awarding the National SMART Grant to qualifying students.
Otherwise eligible students may receive a National SMART Grant of $4,000 for each of their third and fourth academic years of undergraduate study. Students who have earned a minimum of 60 semester hours, but fewer than 90 semester hours are defined as being in their third year of undergraduate study. Students who have earned a minimum of 90 semester hours, but fewer than 120 semester hours are defined as being in their fourth year of undergraduate study.

To be eligible, a student:

1. Must be a U.S. Citizen (students classified as Permanent Residents or any other non-citizen status are not eligible);
2. Must receive a Federal Pell Grant during the same semester;
3. Must be enrolled full-time in a degree program;
4. Must be enrolled in the third or fourth academic year of his or her program of study;
5. Must major in biology, chemistry, math, computer science, or environmental science. The U. S. Department of Education has identified the eligible major fields of study by CIP (Classification Instructional Program) code;
6. Must have at least a cumulative 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale at the end of each preceding term of enrollment in the coursework required for the student's major.
7. The total awarded financial aid cannot exceed the student's Cost of Attendance (COA) minus the Expected Family Contribution (EFC).

Once a student has received $4,000 in National SMART Grant as a third year student, he/she is not eligible for additional SMART Grant funds as a third-year student, even if the student has earned fewer than 90 semester hours. Once a student has received $4,000 in National SMART Grant as a fourth-year student, he/she is not eligible for additional SMART Grant funds as a fourth-year student, even if the student has earned fewer than 120 hours.

SMART funds, when combined with other need-based funds, cannot exceed a student's need as determined using FAFSA data. Need is the coast of attendance minus expected family contribution.