
But, did you know there are specific classes of grants just for online students? An online college grant is a one-time award of money, based on merit or financial need. Unlike online student loans, grants represent free money that never needs to be paid. Grants are the best type of financial aid for both residential and online students. Grants are essentially free money to study online. You can get free grants from the federal government, state government, your college, and a variety of private sources, such as trade and professional associations. The online education experts at GetEducated outline some of the most popular federal college grant options—available to online education students as well as campus students. Use this list to explore the best free money grant programs available from the government and private sources to boost your online school financial aid portfolio. Usually offered by the federal government, need-based make money starting school provide either full or partial tuition coverage based on financial need. The gap between expected family contribution EFC and total cost of attendance will determine whether you qualify for these grants. Your first step to applying for need-based grants for online college is to fill out the FAFSA application. Contrary to popular opinion, merit-based grants are not only for straight-A students with a dizzying array of extracurricular activities and awards.

