George Washington University Grants

The George Washington University Guaranteed Grant - This grant is awarded solely on the basis of financial need. It is guaranteed for as long as the student is enrolled at GW for up to 10 semesters of full-time study. The amount will never decrease as long as the student maintains full-time status and continues to make satisfactory academic progress towards an undergraduate degree.

Board of Trustees Scholarship - This grant is awarded based both on academic merit and financial need. Like the GW Guaranteed Grant this award is guaranteed for as long as the student is enrolled at GW for up to 10 semesters of full-time study. The amount will never decrease as long as the student maintains full-time status and continues to make satisfactory academic progress towards an undergraduate degree.

The University Alumni Award - This grant is awarded to students who demonstrate financial need.  Renewal is contingent upon completion of at least 12 credit hours each semester, maintenance of a 2.0 or better grade point average, reapplication by the published April deadline, and continued financial need.

Federal Grants

Federal Pell Grant - Pell Grants are awarded only to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor's or a professional degree. Pell Grants are considered a foundation of federal financial aid, to which aid from other federal and nonfederal sources might be added. The amount awarded depends not only on your financial need, but also on your costs to attend school, your status as a full-time or part-time student, and your plans to attend school for a full academic year or less.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant - The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) program is for undergraduates with exceptional financial need. Pell Grant recipients with the lowest EFCs will be considered first for a FSEOG.

Academic Competitiveness Grant - An Academic Competitiveness Grant will provide up to $750 for the first year of undergraduate study and up to $1,300 for the second year of undergraduate study to full-time students who are eligible for a Federal Pell Grant and who had successfully completed a rigorous high school program, as determined by the state or local education agency and recognized by the Secretary of Education. Second year students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0.

National SMART Grant - A National SMART Grant will provide up to $4,000 for each of the third and fourth years of undergraduate study to full-time students who are eligible for a Federal Pell Grant and who are majoring in physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, technology, or engineering or in a foreign language determined critical to national security.

Federal Loans

Stafford Loan - The U.S. Department of Education administers this guaranteed loan. The amount of the award is based on the student’s year in college. In some cases, the government may pay the interest on the loan (referred to as Subsidized) or interest may accrue while the student is in school (referred to as Unsubsidized). This loan does not have to be paid back until the student graduates or stops attending school at least half time.

Perkins Loan - A Federal Perkins Loan is a low-interest (5 percent) need based loan which has a locked in interest rate over the life of the loan. No interest accrues while in school and payment begins nine months after graduation, or when registering below half-time status.

Alternative/Private Loans

After the financial aid package is determined, any unmet need can be satisfied with alternative loans. Any loans in the student’s name generally are payment deferred until after the student graduates, and interest is usually not deferred for these loans. Our current preferred Alternative Loans are through Citibank (GW Citiassist Loan), however the Office of Student Financial Assistance will certify any properly completed alternative loan from the lender of the student’s choice. Other alternative loans include the Federal Parent PLUS loan.

Federal Work Study

Money is set aside for a student to earn through an approved job.  GW’s Career Center arranges for career fairs to help students find work study jobs.  It is important to note that this award does not apply to the tuition bill, but comes to the student in the form of a paycheck based on the student’s hours.