Because the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) is available to students through the federal government funding program for students with financial need, your eligibility and award funding will be managed by the same process as Pell Grants and other government grants.
As you may know, the application process for these government funded grants involves the completion of a Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Students in high school often get the form from their counseling office or complete the form online. The ACG award is available only to those already registered for first and second year undergraduate programs. If you have already completed your FAFSA form, you will be notified if you are eligible for the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) and/or any other funding like Pell Grants, etc.
When you complete the FAFSA form for the first time, or update your form each year as you progress through your college term, you will be asked to include information about your parent or guardian income, your financial need and your grades, etc. This information is the foundation for the federal funding decision for each student.
So the first step in applying for the ACG is to complete or update your FAFSA form on or after July 1st of each year.
If you have already completed a FAFSA application, go back to the FAFSA website (http://www.fafsa.ed.gov), and review Step 3 in the application. Choose the section entitled, “Make Corrections to a Processed FAFSA.” The new eligibility requirements for the Academic Competitiveness Grant require that you answer a few more questions to determine your eligibility. Once you have answered the new questions and updated any information that has changed, you should save and submit the edited form. You will be notified by email or regular postal delivery if and when you receive ACG funding.
If you have not completed a FAFSA application, go to the website (http://www.fafsa.ed.gov), and complete your FAFSA using the instructions provided in the “Fill out a FAFSA” section. When you complete your first FAFSA application, you will answer questions that determine your eligibility for the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) among other government grants and funding. After you save and submit your initial FAFSA application, you will be notified by email or regular postal delivery if and when you receive ACG funding.
-
If you begin the online application form and you find you do not have all the information required, you can save what you have completed and come back to it at a later time. Among the information and items you will need to complete your application:
-
Your Social Security Number
-
Your driver’s license number, if you have a license
-
Your previous year W-2 Forms and other records of money earned
- Yours and/or your spouse’s previous year Federal Income Tax Return (IRS Form 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, foreign tax return, or tax return for Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or Palau
- Your parents’ previous year Federal Income Tax Return (if you are a dependent)
Your untaxed income, if any (Social Security, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, welfare, or veterans benefits records) - Your most recent bank statements
- Your most recent business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bond, and other investment records
Your alien registration number or permanent residence card (if you are not a U.S. citizen) - If you need more information or a paper application, you can contact federalstudentaid.ed.gov or call (800) 433-3243, (800) 433-3243, or (800) 730-8913 for TTY for the hearing-impaired.
You can find deadlines for each state and each type of application (original, edited, etc), here:http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/before003a.htm. Good luck on your application!
Posted in 