student grant programs: academic competitiveness grant and smart grant

Two grant programs have been established by the Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005 to further help Pell Grant eligible students. These programs, the Academic Competitiveness Grant (AC Grant) and the National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grant, will encourage students to take challenging high school courses as well as pursue college majors that are in high demand.

Academic Competitiveness Grant (AC Grant)
An Academic Competitiveness Grant will provide up to $750 for the first year of undergraduate study and up to $1,300 for the second year of study to eligible students. To be eligible for an AC Grant, you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Be a Federal Pell Grant recipient for the same award year (determined by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid - FAFSA)
• Be enrolled at least half-time 
• Be a first-year or second-year undergraduate student or a student in a certificate program of at least one year in a degree program at a two-year or four-year degree-granting institution
• Have completed a rigorous secondary school program of study (see below)
• Have completed secondary school after January 1, 2006 and not have been previously enrolled in an ACG-eligible program (if a first-year student)
• Have completed secondary school after January 1, 2005 and have at least a cumulative 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale for the first undergraduate academic year (if a second-year student)

All states have the option of identifying secondary school programs to be recognized as rigorous. The Secretary recognizes at least one rigorous secondary school program of study for each state annually.

National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grant
A National SMART Grant will provide an eligible student with up to $4,000 for each of the third and fourth academic years of study. To be eligible for each academic year, you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Be eligible for the Federal Pell Grant during the same award year (determined by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid - FAFSA)
• Be enrolled at least half-time
• Be in the third or fourth year of an undergraduate degree program or certificate program (or fifth year of a five-year program) at a degree-granting institution
• Major in physical, life, or computer science; engineering; math; technology; or a critical foreign language - or non-major single liberal arts programs
• Have at least a cumulative 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale in the coursework required for your major

Your college or university will be able to determine if you are eligible for an AC Grant and/or National SMART Grant, so you will not have to provide any additional information beyond what you submit on your FAFSA.

For more information on the AC Grant and the National SMART Grant, visit studentaid.ed.gov.

Posted: 2/1/2007
Updated: 2/5/2009