Pell grants are safe…for now
Posted on Aug 3, 2011 by JRF
Well, the good news is that the debt deal will keep the Pell Grant at $5,550 for all students, instead of making it necessary to rework eligibility requirements and disqualify students due to lack of funding. Of course, in a couple of years, with drastic cuts being called for, every program is still vulnerable.
The deal will take some chunks out of higher education though, including subsidy grants for graduate student loans and repayment incentives for federal student loans.
As an organization that supports low-income women as they go to college, the need for funding is very apparent. Without the Pell Grants and other need-based scholarships, a huge demographic would be unable to attend school.
Becky Timmons, assistant vice president for government relations at the American Council on Education said, “It will pit everything that we care about against everything else that we care about.”
As federal deals continue to chip away at the money allocated for education, organizations like JRF will become even more vital. How are you supporting access to education?
For more information about how the deal will impact higher education click here.
Tagged: debt deal, higher education, budget cuts, pell grants, scholarships
Comments
I am interested in the Jenette Rankin Scholarship.
Hi Blair, You'll be able to apply for a JRF scholarship starting November 1st. In the meantime, take a look at the qualifications page here http://rankinfoundation.org/students. There's also a list of other scholarships on our Resources page http://rankinfoundation.org/resources. Warmly, JRF Staff
An applicant may receive only one Pell Grant in an award year and may not receive Pell Grant funds from more than one school at a time. Students must apply for aid by the end of June to be eligible for aid in the upcoming school year. http://www.freemoneyusa.org
