A Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is a grant for undergraduate students with exceptional financial need.
The FSEOG program is administered directly by the financial aid office at each participating school. Not all schools participate. Check with your school’s financial aid office to find out if the school offers the FSEOG.
How do I apply?
To get an FSEOG, you must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form so your college can determine how much financial need you have. The financial aid office will award FSEOGs to students that have the most financial need. The FSEOG does not need to be repaid, except under certain circumstances. Find out why you might have to repay all or part of a federal grant.
How much money can I get?
You can receive between $100 and $4,000 a year, depending on your financial need, when you apply, the amount of other aid you get, and the availability of funds at your school.
Each participating school receives a certain amount of FSEOG funds each year from the U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid. Once the full amount of the school’s FSEOG funds has been awarded to students, no more FSEOG awards can be made for that year. This system works differently from the Federal Pell Grant Program, which provides funds to every eligible student.
So, make sure you apply for federal student aid as early as you can. Each school sets its own deadlines for campus-based funds. You can find a school’s deadline on its website or by asking someone in its financial aid office.
How will I be paid?
If you’re eligible, your school will credit your student account, pay you directly, or combine these methods. Your school must disburse (pay out) funds at least once per term (semester, trimester, or quarter). Schools that do not use semesters, trimesters, or quarters must disburse funds at least twice per academic year.
What should I do to maintain the grant?
You must maintain enrollment as an undergraduate student and must not have previously earned a bachelor’s degree. Your eligibility for federal student aid, including the FSEOG, is determined by completing the FAFSA form on an annual basis. Your institution will award the FSEOG each year based on that eligibility and other factors at the college.
Learn more about staying eligible for federal student aid while you’re in school.