Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005

Two new student aid grant programs were created by a federal law that went into effect on July 1, 2006. They are the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) and the National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant). See below for more information about each grant program.

Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)
The Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) is for first-year undergraduate students (eligible to receive up to $750) and second-year undergraduate students (eligible to receive up to $1,300). The ACG eligibility criteria are listed below:

To be eligible for an ACG, you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen;
• Be Federal Pell Grant eligible;
• Be enrolled at least half-time in a degree program;
• Be enrolled in the first or second academic year of your program of study at a two-year or four-year degree-granting institution, or enrolled in a certificate program of studies of at least one year (for first year eligibility) or two years (for second year eligibility);
• Have completed a rigorous secondary school program of study (after January 1, 2006, if a first-year student, and after January 1, 2005, if a second year student);
• Not have been previously enrolled in an undergraduate program (if you are a first-year student); and
• Have at least a cumulative 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale for the first academic year (if you are a second-year student).

FAFSA on the Web will predetermine if you are eligible to answer the ACG questions.

If you have submitted a paper FAFSA and have received your Student Aid Report (SAR) indicating that you may be eligible to answer the ACG questions, call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID.

You may also contact the financial aid office at your school for assistance regarding ACG.

National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant)
The National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant) is for third, fourth and fifth-year (for programs requiring five years) undergraduate students who are eligible to receive up to $4,000 each year.

To be eligible for a National SMART Grant you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen;
• Be Federal Pell Grant eligible;
• Be enrolled at least half-time pursuing a major in physical, life or computer sciences, mathematics, technology, engineering, or a critical foreign language, or enrolled in an institution that offers a single baccalaureate-level liberal arts curriculum that permits no subject area major, but are taking coursework in an area equivalent to a SMART-eligible major at other bachelor degree-granting institutions; and
• Have at least a cumulative 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale.

You may contact the financial aid office at your school for assistance regarding the National SMART Grant.