If you have good grades, there are many national grants available to help you pay for college. Some of them require a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher, but each of the grants has different additional requirements such as letters of recommendation. Most available grants are renewable and can be used at private or public colleges.

Academic Competitiveness Grant

This grant is open to students with at least a 3.0 GPA. The award amount is $750 for freshman students and increases to $1,300 for second-year students, as of the time of publication. Other requirements include that applicants must be receiving a Federal Pell Grant and are U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens. The applicants must also have graduated from one of the high schools listed on the federal government’s list of rigorous academic high school programs.

National SMART Grant

The National SMART (Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent) Grant supports students with high grades in math and science. Students can use it at public or private institutions and must be majoring in math- or science-related subjects. The applicants must also be eligible to receive the Federal Pell Grant, be enrolled full-time as third- or fourth-year students and have a at least a 3.0 GPA. As of the time of publication, the maximum scholarship amount per year is $4,000.

Vocational Training Grant

The CIRI (Cook Inslet Region, Inc.) Foundation awards the Vocational Training Grant to members and descendants of original enrollees of the foundation. The Native American advocacy group requires applicants nationwide to be high school seniors with at least a 2.5 GPA. Students must also plan to attend college as a full- or half-time student in a technical or vocational program that will improve their job skills. Students can get up to $4,500 a year, as of the time of publication.

Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant

The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant awards students with at least a 3.25 GPA who are going to spend at least four years teaching full-time in a low-income school. This $4,000 national award is renewable for four years and winners must be enrolled full-time in an undergraduate or graduate program.

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