Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant for Undergraduate Students (FSEOG)

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) are awarded to  undergraduate students who are enrolled in their first undergraduate program of study and who have exceptional financial need.

Grant amounts will vary from $100 to $600, depending on availability of funds.

Pell Grant recipients with the lowest expected family contribution (EFC) will be considered first for an FSEOG. The FSEOG does not have to be repaid.

FSEOG funds are very limited; therefore, students who apply early with a zero EFC will be considered first for the grant.

You should complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for 2009–20010—at least 60 days prior to the start of your program of study.

Funding for this program begins July 1, 2009, to be awarded to students beginning their program in September 2009.

Eligibility

To be eligible for a Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be a citizen of the United States or an eligible noncitizen
• Be registered for the U.S. Selective Service, if required to do so
• Have a high school diploma or GED, or have successfully completed the Ability to Benefit Test
• Be accepted and enrolled as a first-time undergraduate student in a degree-granting program
• File a 2009–20010 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and supply additional information required (e.g., evidence of defaulted loan resolution, Selective Service documentation, or overlapping loan clearance forms)
• Demonstrate financial need with an expected family contribution (EFC) of zero as determined by the FAFSA
• Not owe a refund on any federal grant, be in default on a federal student loan, or have borrowed in excess of the loan limits under the Title IV programs at any institution
• Maintain good academic standing and make satisfactory academic progress toward the degree sought, as outlined below
• Be enrolled at least three-quarter time (undergraduates at least 9 credits)
• Have all official transcripts on file with the Office of Admissions if applicable

Applications

The U.S. Department of Education’s process for determining your expected family contribution (EFC) is very complex and requires that you first complete the FAFSA. Walden representatives cannot determine your EFC or tell you whether you meet the need-based eligibility criteria until you have completed the FAFSA and received a Student Aid Report. Here are the key steps to follow:

• Have all of your official transcripts on file in the Office of Admissions and complete a 2009–20010 FAFSA.
• Receive a valid Student Aid Report (SAR) from the U.S. Department of Education. This report includes your EFC.
• If your EFC is zero and if you meet all other eligibility criteria and funds are available, the FSEOG will appear on your award notification from the Office of Financial Aid. Please note that, if selected for verification, your EFC may change during the verification process.

• If selected for verification, you must complete this process by submitting a signed copy of your and your spouse’s (if applicable) or parents’ 2008 federal tax return (all pages) and the 2009–20010 Independent or Dependent Verification Worksheet to the Office of Financial Aid within 10 days of the request for same.

  If you do not have a copy of your tax return, you may request a copy of your “Tax Transcript” by calling the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 (select option 1, then 2 and ask to be transferred to a representative). To expedite the receipt of the Tax Transcript, request that the Tax Transcript be faxed to you. If you want to have the Tax Transcript mailed directly to you or to Walden, expect it to take at least 10 days. Please be sure to include your signature on any tax documents you send to the Office of Financial Aid.

Disbursement

The grant will be disbursed evenly across the three terms in your financial aid award year (nine months for quarter-based programs).

Students who take a leave of absence for an entire term forfeit the grant amount for the term. Forfeited grants will not be added to another term.

Renewal

This federal grant is not automatically renewed. To be considered for subsequent years, the same eligibility requirements apply as stated above, unless determined differently by the U.S. Department of Education.

Call 1-866-492-5336 for more information about this and other financial aid.