Grants for Graduate
School

Grants are considered as ‘free money’ since they do not have to be paid back or returned. Most Grants are awarded in the form of ‘cash’ and, as a result, can be used for an array of educational needs and related expenses of a student. This can reduce the cost of education considerably and also present the flexibility to concentrate on or take up other areas of interest and pursuit.

Broadly speaking, Grants are either based on complex formulae or plain and simple factors such as ethnicity, community, socio-economic status, gender, academic performance, or a particular subject/field like teaching, music, nursing, or sports. For example, there are specific Grants awarded only to disabled students, some that address female students, some addressing only African American students, and so on.

Grants for Graduate School are also handed out by Universities or Colleges one is applying to, based on a wide range of criteria. Similarly, the military is another source of graduate school funding, as are corporates, private funders, and the Federal or State Governments.

All in all, Grant money is available from a host of sources and it is for this very reason that a student must explore, research, and understand what suits them and their needs the best, before applying for one.

There are hundreds of Grants for Graduate School available, some for a specific school year and others that are for the taking perpetually. Since Grants are, in broad terms, not quite academic-achievement oriented, they tend to be unlimited by scope and reach. For every student who has a specific need or comes from a particular background or belongs to a particular race, region, or even religion, there is perhaps a Grant available for all of these and more! Since it is quite impossible to list out all the Grants that are out there, we have categorized them for easy understanding and exploration:

1. Merit-Based Grants Merit-Based Grants are usually awarded to students with high academic achievement either in their overall studies or in a specific subject of study. Credits, test scores, honors, and awards are commonly considered for these Grants.
2. Need-Based Grants Need-Based Grants are those that cater to ‘deserving’ Students, who may not necessarily have an impressive academic record. These Grants are often based on a single or mixture of several factors such as ethnicity, socio-economic status, dependency status, etc.
3. Academic Departmental Grants Academic Departmental Grants are limited to a specific subject or domain within the larger scope of academia as a whole. Such Grants focus on only department-related study, research, or work and require a student to be a major in the subject.
4. Corporate Grants Corporate Grants are awarded usually to students who are connected with the vision and mission of a company, but sometimes even to students who may not necessarily relate to the company’s field of operation. In many cases, large corporations reserve a fund for Grants as a social responsibility initiative.
5. Professional Association Grants Professional Association Grants are typically related to a particular field of study, research or work the student is involved in and is therefore restricted to only those who are within the sphere of that particular field.
6. Federal/Public Grants Federal or Public Grants are awarded from funds that have been allocated by the Federal Government. These Grants are not necessarily limited to merit or need, and therefore cater to a wider audience of students seeking aid.
7. State Grants State Grants are akin to Federal Grants, with the difference being that it is the State Government that allocates funds for such Grants, and not the Federal Government.
8. Private Grants Private Grants are generally those given by individuals or a group of individuals. These Grants may be restrictive, often limited to a specific reason, purpose, or cause.
9. Institutional Grants Institutional Grants are University or College-specific Grants, awarded to students who are enrolled in a program at that particular university or College. These Grants are not necessarily merit-based.
10. Demographic Grants Demographic Grants are typically those that cover certain ethnic or minority groups and communities. They could also be based on gender, marital status, and other factors that may not be covered by other types of Grants.
11. Other Grants There is a wide range of other kinds of Grants that are lesser-known or relatively small. Such Grants tend to be highly categorized or specific and are therefore not very sought after by graduate students. Some examples of such Grants are Project Grant, Categorical Grant, Block Grant, Formula Grant, and Earmark Grant.
    
    A point to note is that Grants need not be awarded only to Students; they can also be given to departments, institutions, research centers and, in rare cases, even startups.

Many students worry about how to apply for Grants for Graduate School. The process is neither cumbersome nor complex; it just requires patience, focus, and a keen sense of purpose. With these, one could quite easily apply for a Grant for Graduate School.

STEPS ON HOW TO APPLY FOR GRANTS FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL

1. Step – 1Know the Need At the very beginning, the applicant must always know what he or she requires, for what purpose, and how much. Knowing this in advance can save much time and hassle in finding a suitable Grant. Also, trying and being specific while searching for a Grant – such as Grants for Master’s Degree or Grants for Research Programs, and so on, would be to one’s advantage.
2. Step – 2Search for a Funder The next step is to look for Grantors who match the applicant’s needs. This can be easily achieved by speaking to faculty members at the University or searching the internet for a suitable funder.
3. Step – 3Understand the Funder’s Requirements If the Grant is suitable to the student, they must check to also see whether the Grantor’s needs are met or not; what the requirements and eligibility criteria are, and if they can be fulfilled. Keeping an eye on application dates and deadlines that may be mentioned, is strongly advised.
4. Step – 4Draft an Application In case the Student’s needs and Grantor’s needs are in tune with one another, the student may proceed with applying for the Grant, bearing in mind all instructions put forth by the Grantor.
5. Step – 5Review the Application It is good practice to always review the application and check for anything that may have been overlooked or for errors to fix and changes to be made.
6. Step – 6Add Supporting Documents If required and asked for in specific, adding supporting documents to the main application is an obvious thing to do. However, one must not go overboard by attaching irrelevant documents just to bulk it up a bit.
7. Step – 7Submit the Application Following the instructions as to how, when, where, and to whom the application is to be submitted is important. The submission should preferably be made early, well before the deadline.

Note: Many Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis. Submitting an application early significantly improves the chances of being accepted for funding.

SECTIONS IN AN APPLICATION FOR GRANT

Truth be told, every Grant application is unique, but having said that, certain points or sections are commonly required to be part of an application. These sections are, but not limited to:

1. List of Goals/Objectives A Student applying for a Grant for Graduate School should begin their application by listing out their goals and objectives, academic and otherwise.
2. Demonstration of Need The next step is to show a real need for funding and why it may be beyond the reach of the applicant to fund the program, project, or research by themselves.
3. Proposal Outline a brief, yet informative proposal with key points that summarize what the study or project is all about and how it is to be executed.
4. Stating the Grant’s impact State why and how the Grant will impact the proposal and what the outcomes could be.
5. Existing Resource & Capabilities Outline existing resources, such as own funds, sponsorships, team members, etc., and capabilities of those involved in the whole operation.
6. Budgets, Timelines & Metrics Where possible, touch upon general budgets and timelines with important milestones, phases, and metrics.
7. Inclusion of Specific Information If the Grant is specific in its scope and reach, mention relevant information and also additional information that may have been asked by the funder. In certain cases, the applicant may be asked to submit an Essay, in which case they can get some good professional tips on how to write one.

Grants for Graduate School vary depending on several factors, including the state of residency of a student and current academic pursuits. Given this fact, it is nearly impossible to list out all the Grants that are available across the length and breadth of the country. However, here are a few that are popular among students falling under certain categories: