Academic Competitiveness and SMART Grants

Academic Competitiveness Grants, Section 401A of the “Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005” establishes a grant program for students who have concentrated in math/science or a foreign language critical to U.S. National Security.

Grants for first or second year undergraduate students are called “Academic Competitiveness Grants.” Grants for third or fourth year undergraduate students are called “National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant."

2006-2007 is the first year students will be able to receive funding from these grants.

Eligibility Requirements and Grant Amounts:

1st academic year undergraduate:

Recipients must:

• Be full-time students,

• Be U.S. citizens,

• Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA),

• Be eligible for federal Pell Grants,

• Must have completed a rigorous secondary school program after January 1, 2006,

• Not have been previously enrolled in a program of undergraduate education.

Grant amount for 1st academic year undergraduate for 2006-2007 will be $750 per year.

2nd academic year undergraduate:

Recipients must:

• Be full-time students,

• Be U.S. citizens,

• Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA),

• Be eligible for federal Pell Grants,

• Save completed a rigorous secondary school program after January 1, 2005 AND be classified as a sophomore,

• Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 at the conclusion of the first year of undergraduate education (completion of 30 credit hours),

Grant amount for 2nd year undergraduates in 2006-2007 will be $1300 for two semesters.

3rd or 4th academic year undergraduate:

Recipients must:

• Be full-time students,

• Be U.S. citizens,

• Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA),

• Be eligible for federal Pell Grants

• Be pursuing a major in: physical, life or computer sciences, mathematic, technology, or engineering (as determined by the Secretary of Education pursuant to regulations) or a foreign language determined by the Secretary and Director of National Intelligence as critical to U.S. national security. National SMART Grants - Fields of Study. TTU's approved concentrations and majors

• Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 in the coursework for their major.

• Only receive one award at each grade level (one award as a junior and one award as a senior).

Grant amount for juniors in 2006-2007: $4000 over 2 semesters.
Grant amount for seniors in 2006-2007: $4000 over 2 semesters.

Additional Rules:

• The grant amount in combination with the student’s Pell grant assistance and remaining financial aid may not exceed their cost of attendance.

• If the total amount of the grant fund is less than the amount required to provide grants to all eligible students, then the amount of the grant for each student will be ratably reduced.

• If additional amounts are then appropriated for any fiscal year the reduced grants will be increase in the same manner as they were reduced.

• Grants will not be awarded to any students for an academic year for which the student received credit before the date of enactment.

Because this is a brand-new program, there are many questions that we don't yet have answers to. Up-to-date information is kept on the the following information site.

Definition of Rigorous Programs of Study:

Because many states do not yet offer formally recognized rigorous programs of study, and to ensure that private school students, home-schooled students and students enrolled in Department of Defense overseas schools are eligible, the Secretary of Education will immediately recognize four options for eligibility. They are:

• Advanced or Honors diploma programs. The Secretary of Education will recognize all Advanced or Honors diplomas conferred by the states as rigorous programs of study. According to research by the Department, nineteen states currently offer such diplomas upon completion of recognized coursework.

• State Scholars Initiative requirements. This program, supported by Congress, sets course requirements modeled after the National Commission on Excellence in Education recommendations. Fourteen states participate in this program, and eight additional states will begin participation this year.

• Course requirements similar to the State Scholars Initiative. This program of study includes four years of English, three years of math, three years of science, three years of social studies, and one year of a foreign language.

• Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses and scores. Students who have taken two AP or IB courses and received passing scores on the exams for those courses will be considered eligible.

These guidelines will define rigorous secondary school programs of study for academic years 2006-07 and 2007-08 while long-term coursework guidelines are established. States that wish to identify alternative rigorous programs of study for 2006-07 have the option of submitting proposals to the Department by June 1, 2006. To identify alternative programs for 2007-08, the deadline is November 1, 2006.

List of Approved Majors at TTU