Grants do not have to be repaid and are based on financial need. Students must submit the FAFSA to be considered for grants. There are three types of grants: University, state, and federal.

University

University Grant - A University-funded program to assist Cleveland State students with meeting their financial need.

Residence Hall Grant - A University-fund granted to undergraduate students who contract to live in Cleveland State residence halls for the full academic year. Eligibility is based on financial need. A minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA is required for continuing students.

State

Ohio College Opportunity Grant (OCOG) - A state-funded grant program for undergraduate, degree seeking, Ohio residents with an expected family contribution of 2190 or less and a maximum household income of $75,000. Students are limited to 10 semesters of eligibility and the award amount is prorated based on enrollment. For additional information on the Ohio Board of Regents, State Grants and Scholarships, please visit http://regents.ohio.gov/sgs/ocog/.

Federal

General Policy Statement for awarding Year Round Pell Grants

2009-2010 Academic year policy for awarding Federal Pell Grants

Cleveland State University is traditionally a trailer school. Our financial aid award year begins each fall and ends with the summer semester. The objective of the year round Pell program is to help accelerate degree completion.

Two Pell Grant Scheduled Awards in an Award Year

The Federal Higher Education Opportunity Act, section 401 (HEOA) has authorized Pell eligible students to use their Pell grant at an accelerated rate towards degree completion.

Students may receive up to two consecutive Pell Grant Scheduled Awards during a single financial aid award year.

Eligibility requirements:

1. Students must meet all Pell eligibility rules.
2. Students must have a valid FAFSA and be Pell eligible.
3. Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
4. Be enrolled as an undergraduate seeking a first Bachelor's Degree.
5. The Pell Grant amount is calculated using the Pell grant payment chart and the student's enrollment. Pell is prorated based on enrollment.

CSU will pay the Pell grant based on 2009 – 2010 year eligibility during the transition period for the new Pell grant awards.  For the summer, 2010 only, no consideration will be given to 2010 – 2011 student eligibility during the cross over payment period and no consideration will be given to academic progression requirements.

Beginning Spring, 2010

Eligible transfer students who received a Federal Pell Grant beginning summer, 2009 at another institution will be awarded Federal Pell based on their 2009-2010 EFC for their spring, 2010 credit hour enrollment at CSU.

The Pell grant amount represents the remainder of the amount of Pell Grant from their first scheduled award up to 100%. The Pell Grant amount is determined based on their semester credit hour enrollment and Expected Family Contribution (EFC).

The Pell grant award amount will be combined with a second scheduled Federal Pell Grant Award to equal their Federal Pell eligibility based on the 2009-2010 Pell tables and their credit hour enrollment.

Example:  student has used $4681 of a $5350 Pell Grant 87.5%.
$669/5350 or 12.5 % remaining,
Student enrolls 12 credits.
Total Pell grant amount for this student is $2675 (669 –first pell +2006 second scheduled award). Student must be enrolled a minimum six credit hours at CSU.

Students who have enrollment for summer, 2010 and Pell eligibility will be offered Pell grants based on their 2009-2010 year eligibility (EFC) during this transition period. The amount of Pell will be based on their enrollment (combined hours over all summer sessions at CSU) Students must have a minimum six credit hour enrollment at CSU.

CSU will not review the 2010-2011 FAFSA EFC to determine Pell grant eligibility to award during the 2009-10 award year. There will be no review of academic year progression (acceleration) as it relates to determining Pell grant eligibility for awarding a second scheduled award.

Effective date: For the 2009-2010 award year.
Available to new transfer students entering
CSU summer, 2009, fall, 2009 or spring 2010 that used their Federal Pell Grant eligibility summer, 2009 at another institution.
Additionally, students who utilize Pell eligibility for fall, 2009 and spring 2010 and attend summer, 2010 semester may use all or a portion of a second scheduled Pell Grant within an award year.

Eligibility criteria:

First Pell Grant Scheduled Award:
Student may be enrolled at any enrollment status (full, ¾, ½ or less than ½).
Students who begin receiving Pell Grants July 1, 2008 will be subject to lifetime
Aggregate limits (18 full-time semesters).

Summer Pell, 2010

Students must be enrolled at least half time (minimum six credits) for consideration. Registrations for all classes for summer semester (all sessions) must be complete by May 22, 2010, the start of the first summer session.

The amount of Pell Grant will be based on a student's enrollment (Combined credits over all summer sessions); changes to enrollment will affect the Pell eligibility. Please be aware if you register for summer classes, any session, and withdraw or drop classes from any of the sessions, you will be responsible for any balance incurred due to a redetermination of your federal aid eligibility.

Students who received Federal Pell grants for the first time beginning July 1, 2008 are subject to a lifetime aggregate limit of Pell grant eligibility of 18 semesters. All Pell awards for these students count toward their aggregate limit.

Second Pell Grant Scheduled Award:

Student must be enrolled for at least six credit hours.
Received 100% of first scheduled award
Pell grant will counts toward aggregate limits, if applicable to student.
Academic year acceleration must be demonstrated beginning with the 2010-2011
Academic year (For CSU, our award year begins fall, 2010).

Full-time enrollment example:
Student A: Zero EFC.  Scheduled award is $5350.
Summer 2009 student attends a community college full-time- uses 50% Pell
Fall, 2009 student attends CSU full-time uses 50% Pell
Spring, 2010 student can use an additional 50% Pell will enrollment of 6 credit hours
Summer, 2010 student may use additional Pell at minimum 6credit hour enrollment.

Effective for the 2010-2011 academic year.

During the crossover payment period (summer, 2011), CSU must award Pell Grant from the award year with the highest Pell award amount (EFC) for the payment period for the student.

Example: student has 2000 EFC for 2010-2011 and has a zero EFC for 2011-2012.
If student enrolls summer, 2011, CSU must award the Pell Grant based on the zero EFC from 2011-2012.

Acceleration – Academic year progression.

Academic year is defined at CSU as 24 credit hours completed.
This is not Grade Progression (30 credits to advance grade level)
At least one credit hour must be in the payment period when the Pell Grant award will be from a second scheduled award and must count towards the student’s next academic year.

Transfer student eligibility for two scheduled awards beginning 2010-2011.  CSU will use the assumption method to determine eligibility for the second scheduled Pell award. If the student received 100% of the first scheduled Pell award at prior school(s), we will assume the student completed the first academic year (24 credit hours).  If the student received less than 100 percent of the scheduled award, we will use the same ratio and calculate eligibility as the percent of the scheduled award that was received from the other school(s) and if needed round up.  We will assume that the student completes the same ratio of the academic year as the percent of Pell grant received.

Example Prior school disburses $1338 of $5,350 scheduled award at that school.
$1,338 x24credits (academic year) divided by $5,350 = 6 credits.
6 credits will be assumed as earned at prior school. Student will be given 6 credits towards completion of first academic year.

Academic year completion requirement for second scheduled Pell award

Requirement may be waived based on special circumstance if the Financial Aid Office determines that the student was unable to complete the credit hours of the first academic year due to circumstances beyond the student’s control. Circumstances may include but are not limited to:

• Student withdrawal due to documented illness
• Student not being able to register for classes required for their degree because they are not available.
• Cases are reviewed on a student by student basis and must be documented
• Circumstances beyond a student’s control do not include:
• Class withdrawal due to a particular grade
• Classes are full and student is not able to register
• Failure to register for a certain class to avoid a particular instructor

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) - A federally-funded grant program established to help meet the educational costs of exceptionally needy students. Eligibility is determined from FAFSA information. Only degree-seeking undergraduate students are eligible for the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG).

Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) - A federally-funded grant program available for the first time for the 2006-2007 school year for first-year students who graduated from high school after January 1, 2006 and for second-year students who graduated from high school after January 1, 2005. The ACG provides 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 U.S citizens, 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 also have maintained a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. To learn more, visit http://federalstudentaid.ed.gov/.

National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant) - A National SMART Grant provides up to $4,000 for each of the third (minimum 60 earned credit hours) and fourth years of undergraduate study to full-time students who are U.S. citizens, eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, and majoring in physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, technology, or engineering or in a foreign language determined critical to national security. The student must also have maintained a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 in coursework required for the major. To learn more, visit http://federalstudentaid.ed.gov/.