How do i get a federal supplemental educational opportunity grant

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The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program is a Title IV Campus-Based Program that provides grants to eligible students who demonstrate exceptional financial need. FSEOG Program publications are listed below.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants are awarded on the basis of financial need and do not have to be repaid. They are provided by the federal government and are awarded to students who demonstrate the greatest financial need and have completed their financial aid application by the published deadlines.

Basic Eligibility Requirements

• Undergraduate students without a Bachelor’s degree
• Students who are eligible to complete a FAFSA
• U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens

Annual Amount

Varies, awarded to students based on need and the Expected Family Contribution on your FAFSA

Enrollment Requirements

• 6 or more units

More Information

Visit U.S. Department of Education site for grant information.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) may be offered to some degree-seeking undergraduate students who display exceptional financial need based on data provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

• Eligible Students
• Eligibility Criteria
• Enrollment Requirements
• Limits
• Additional Information and Requirements
• How to Apply

Eligible Students

Only available for undergraduate-level students who have not earned a bachelor's, graduate, or professional degree.

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Eligibility Criteria

Students may be considered for this grant if:

1. They complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the March 1 priority deadline for each upcoming aid year, and
2. They meet the exceptional financial need and Expected Family Contribution (EFC) requirements (which can vary by aid year), and
3. They have been admitted into a degree-seeking undergraduate program, and
4. They have not earned a bachelor's, graduate, or professional degree.

The Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant is a limited-funds program, so not all students will be offered the grant - even if they meet eligibility requirements. Some aid is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so we encourage all students to submit their FAFSA's as early as possible after it becomes available each October 1.

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Enrollment Requirements

The FSEOG requires students to be enrolled at least half-time in federal aid-eligible courses.

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Limits

Students cannot receive the FSEOG after receiving a bachelor's, graduate, or professional degree. Financial aid for each aid year also cannot exceed a student's cost of attendance.

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Additional Information and Requirements

• Eligibility is partially based on exceptional financial need based on data the student provides on their FAFSA. If that information changes due to making changes to the FAFSA, verification, or conflicting information, that could change eligibility for the grant.
• Funding is limited, so not all eligible students will receive the grant.
• Students must continue to meet satisfactory academic progress standards for financial aid eligibility.
• FSEOG funds usually do not need to be repaid except for some limited circumstances.
• Additional information is available on the Federal Student Aid FSEOG website.

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How to Apply

To be considered for the FSEOG, students must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the March 1 priority deadline for each upcoming aid year.

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To get an FSEOG, you must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) so your college can determine how much financial need you have. Students who are eligible for the Federal Pell Grants and have the most financial need will receive FSEOGs first. If there are funds remaining, a secondary disbursement will be made. The FSEOG does not need to be repaid. The FSEOG program is administered directly by the financial aid office at each participating school and is therefore called “campus-based” aid. Not all schools participate. Check with your school's financial aid office to find out if the school offers the FSEOG.

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. The deadline for the Coast Community College District colleges is May 31st. For packaging guidelines please see Packaging Process.

What is the deadline date for the Coast Community College District?

March 2nd is the deadline in order to receive Cal Grant. Priority processing deadline for Campus Based funds (FSEOG and FWS) is May 31st. Check the Disbursement Dates for dates of disbursement.

What are the award amounts?

The award for the Coast Community College District is $500.

What is the awarding process?

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunities Grant (FSEOG)
To receive FSEOG, students must:
Meet the “students with exceptional need” criteria, as defined, and be eligible for Federal Pell Grant. The District colleges will use the following awarding process:
Title IV Funds include the following:

1. 1. In August, contact the District Fiscal Office and find out how much SEOG funding will be available to students. Mark 75% of the funds to be awarded for students beginning their school year in the fall semester. Set aside 20% of the funds for students beginning their school year in the spring. Set aside 5% of the funds to be awarded to students beginning their year at in the summer.
   2. In August, before fall POE loads are set to actual units (default is full-load), run a selection set to find all Pell-eligible, Pell Awarded students who have registered for classes at the campus, who have completed their FAFSAs by the priority data of May 19th, and who have an EFC of 0.
   3. From this group, run a report that ranks all individuals by original need, showing those with the greatest need at the top and the least amount of need at the bottom.
   4. FA staff begin manual packaging with those at the top of the list and award maximum SEOG (currently $500) moving down the list until all 75% of the SEOG funds are awarded. Students who are in IP status at the time of the report will not be awarded SEOG, but will be considered if funds are still available after all other students on the report are awarded SEOG.
   5. If funds are left after all students on the report are packaged and we have gone back through the list and packaged IP students, then a new report will be run to include students meeting all packaging criteria, but who completed their FAFSA after May 19th. Then Steps 3 and 4 will be repeated.
   6. If funds are still left after all students on the second report are packaged, then a new report will be run to include students meeting all packaging criteria of Step 2 who are Pell eligible, but who did not receive a Pell Grant (e.g., LEU used up). Then Steps 3 and 4 will be repeated.
   7. Previously awarded SEOG funds that become available again (e.g., the student does not attend) will be awarded to students who have not been awarded and SEOG, starting with criteria in Step 2 and moving through Step 6 until the funds are all awarded.

Note: Students who have been awarded SEOG but who are determined to have an SAP issue, will have their SEOG kept on hold for them until their appeal can be reviewed. Those who have their appeal approved will receive their SEOG. Those whose appeals are not approved will lose their SEOG and the funds will be awarded to another student.

Spring SEOG Awarding

1. 1. Twenty percent of the annual SEOG funds will be awarded at this time (January, prior to POE loads being set to actual units). More funds may be available if students who received an SEOG in the fall do not continue into the Spring or if students lose SEOG funds due to SAP issues and appeals not being approved.
   2. Run a selection set to find all Pell-eligible, Pell Awarded students who have an EFC of 0, who have registered for classes at the colleges for spring, but who were not enrolled in the fall.
   3. From this group, run a report that ranks all individuals by original need, showing those with the greatest need at the top and the least amount of need at the bottom.
   4. FA staff begin manual packaging with those at the top of the list and award maximum SEOG (currently $500) moving down the list until all of the spring SEOG funds are awarded. Students who are in IP status at the time of the report will not be awarded SEOG, but will be considered if funds are still available after all other students on the report are awarded SEOG.
   5. If funds are still left after all students in Step 2 are awarded (including IP students), then a new report will be run to include students meeting all packaging criteria of Step 2 who are Pell eligible, but who did not receive a Pell Grant (e.g., LEU used up). Then Steps 3 and 4 will be repeated.
   6. Previously awarded SEOG funds that become available again (e.g., the student does not attend in spring) will be awarded to students who have not been awarded and SEOG, starting with criteria in Step 2 and moving through Step 5 until the funds are all awarded.

Note: Students who have been awarded SEOG but who are determined to have an SAP issue, will have their SEOG kept on hold for them until their appeal can be reviewed. Those who have their appeal approved will receive their SEOG. Those whose appeals are not approved will lose their SEOG and the funds will be awarded to another student.

Summer SEOG Awarding

1. 1. Five percent of the annual SEOG funds will be awarded at this time (May, prior to POE loads being set to actual units). More funds may be available if students who received an SEOG in the spring do not continue into the summer, or if students lose SEOG funds due to SAP issues and appeals not being approved.
   2. Run a selection set to find all Pell-eligible, Pell Awarded students who have an EFC of 0, who have registered for classes at the colleges for summer, but who were not enrolled in the fall or spring.
   3. From this group, run a report that ranks all individuals by original need, showing those with the greatest need at the top and the least amount of need at the bottom.
   4. FA staff begin manual packaging with those at the top of the list and award maximum SEOG for one semester only (currently $250) moving down the list until all of the spring SEOG funds are awarded. Students who are in IP status at the time of the report will not be awarded SEOG, but will be considered if funds are still available after all other students on the report are awarded SEOG.
   5. If funds are still left after all students in Step 2 are awarded (including IP students), then a new report will be run to include students meeting all packaging criteria of Step 2 who are Pell eligible, but who did not receive a Pell Grant (e.g., LEU used up). Then Steps 3 and 4 will be repeated.
   6. Previously awarded SEOG funds that become available again (e.g., the student does not attend in summer) will be awarded to students who have not been awarded and SEOG, starting with criteria in Step 2 and moving through Step 5 until the funds are all awarded.

Note: Students who have been awarded SEOG but who are determined to have an SAP issue, will have their SEOG kept on hold for them until their appeal can be reviewed. Those who have their appeal approved will receive their SEOG. Those whose appeals are not approved will lose their SEOG and the funds will be awarded to another student.

If SEOG funds are increased due to converting a portion of FWS funds to SEOG, then awarding of these funds will begin with the fall group then move to spring and then summer until the funds are awarded.

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