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• Federal Pell Grant
  
  
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
  
  
• Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP)
  
  
• Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)
  
  
• Go Grant
  

Federal Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant is considered gift-aid that does not have to be repaid.  The Pell Grant award is based upon the student’s EFC and enrollment status.  The Pell Grant award is based solely on financial need.  Unlike loans, grants do not have to be repaid unless, for example, the student is awarded funds incorrectly or the student withdraws from school.  The amount the student receives depends on his/her financial need, cost of attendance and enrollment status. Pell Grants are awarded only to undergraduate students – those who haven’t earned a bachelor’s or graduate degree.  Amounts can change yearly. In order to determine a student’s eligibility; the student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and list BPCC as a school; the school must receive a valid Student Aid Report (SAR) or Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR), generated by the FAFSA submission, while the student is enrolled and eligible.  To be valid, the SAR/ISIR must contain the following:

• A Pell-eligible Expected Family Contribution (EFC);
• All information used in the calculation of the EFC complete and accurate at the time the application was signed;
• Accurate information, subject to updating, at the time the SAR/ISIR (not selected for verification) is submitted to BPCC; and
• Accurate information as of the time of verification; at the time the SAR/ISIR (selected for verification) is submitted to BPCC.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

FSEOG is also considered gift-aid that does not have to be repaid.  Each year, unlike Pell Grants, the amount of FSEOG a student receives depends not only on his/her financial need but, also, on the amount of other aid the student receives and the availability of funds at BPCC.  Each school participating in FSEOG receives a certain amount of FSEOG funds each year from the U.S. Department of Education. Students who demonstrate exceptional need will be considered first for these funds.  This is why it is important for students to apply early to be considered for these funds.  Not everyone who qualifies for FSEOG will receive the grant.  Receiving other aid might reduce the amount of your FSEOG award.    Exceptional need is generally defined as a low EFC.  At BPCC, this is usually students with a zero EFC.  To be consistent with students enrolling for the first time in the spring semester, funds from the FSEOG allocation are set aside to be used in the spring.

The amount of an individual’s award is based on the availability of funds and the student’s demonstrated financial need.  The minimum and maximum awards for the academic year are $100 and $900, with the usual award being $300 per semester.  IF FSEOG funds are remaining for summer, summer awards will be made.

The FSEOG award will appear on the student’s award letter and will be credited to the student’s account.  If you completed a FAFSA, you have applied for the FSEOG grant. Funds are limited.

Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP)

LEAP is a federal program that provides need-based grants to academically qualified students.  The LEAP grant is available to students who are U.S. Citizens and are residents of Louisiana.

Students must be enrolled full-time (twelve or more hours) and be in good standing academically (2.00 cumulative GPA) to qualify for LEAP. High school graduates are required to have a 2.00 cumulative GPA. Grants range from $100 to $600 per year. Priority consideration is given to students who have substantial financial need of at least $199 (based on Free Application for Federal Student Aid -FAFSA) with the highest grade point average.  Students who are receiving SEOG may not receive LEAP for the same semester.

LEAP applicants must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:

1. Be a U.S. citizen or national or eligible non-citizen; and
2. Register with Selective Service, if required; and
3. Be a resident of Louisiana for at least one year prior to July 1 of the award year.
4. Annually submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Renewal FAFSA by the deadline set by the school; and
5. Have a high school diploma with at least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA), or a minimum average score of 45 on the General Educational Development (GED) test, or an ACT composite score of at least 20, or a postsecondary school GPA of at least 2.00 from the most recent term; and
6. Be selected and certified by the school for receipt of a LEAP Award, contingent upon final approval by LOSFA; and
7. Meet any additional selection criteria established by the individual institution participating in the LEAP Program; and
8. Be certified as a full-time undergraduate student in an eligible program at an eligible postsecondary institution; and
9. Have substantial financial need of at least $199; and
10. Be in compliance with the terms of other federal and state student aid programs that are administered by LASFAC, which the applicant may be receiving; and
11. Not have a criminal conviction, except for misdemeanor traffic violations; and
12. Agree that the award proceeds will be used exclusively for educational expenses; and
13. Not be in default of an educational loan.

Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)

The Academic Competitiveness Grant is available 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 Academic Competitiveness Grant award is in addition to the student's Pell Grant award.

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 receiving 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.

An eligible student may receive an Academic Competitiveness Grant (AC Grant) of up to $750 for the first academic year of study and up to $1,300 for the second academic year of study. To be eligible for each academic year, a student must:

• Be a U.S. citizen;
• Be a Federal Pell Grant recipient;
• Be enrolled full-time in a degree program;
• Be enrolled in the first or second academic year of his or her program of study at a two-year or four-year degree-granting institution;
• Have completed a rigorous secondary school program of study (after January 1, 2006, if a first-year student (0-24 credit hours), and after January 1, 2005, if a second-year student);
• If a first-year student (0-24 credit hours), not have been previously enrolled in an undergraduate program; and
• If a second-year student (25-48 credit hours), have at least a cumulative 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale for the first academic year. Student must have a 3.00 grade point average at the time the student reaches the 2nd year increment (25th credit hour). Students who do not have a 3.00 grade point average at the time the student reaches the 2nd year increment, the student may NOT use a subsequent semester to improve the GPA.

Note that the amount of the AC Grant, when combined with a Pell Grant, may not exceed the student's cost of attendance. In addition, if the number of eligible students is large enough that payment of the full grant amounts would exceed the program appropriation in any fiscal year then the amount of the grant to each eligible student may be ratably reduced. A student may only receive one (1) first-year award and (1) second-year award.

Go Grant

The Go Grant is state grant that does not have to be repaid. The Go Grant award is based upon the student’s Education Cost Gap (ECG). The ECG will be determined by the Financial Aid Office. The award amount, which ranges from $500 to $2000 per year, is based on enrollment status on the 14th class day. In order to determine a student’s eligibility; the student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and list BPCC as a school; the school must receive a valid Student Aid Report (SAR) or Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR), generated by the FAFSA submission.

The ECG is calculated as follows:

$1780 + $2000 – Student’s full-time pell grant award = Education Cost Gap

Eligibility criteria

• Be a Louisiana Resident;
• Be a Federal Pell Grant recipient;
• Be enrolled in a certificate or degree program;
• Be a 1) first time freshman OR 2) aged 25 or older and have NOT enrolled in a college or university in credit-bearing courses for at least one academic year
• Eligible ECG

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