Grants

Federal Grants

The following information on the federal grant programs is meant to give you a brief overview of the programs available at South Dakota Mines. Detailed information is available from the U.S.Department of Education Federal Student Aid website.

The FAFSA Comes First

To be considered for the federal grant programs, students must file a new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year (See our Applying For Financial Aid page for more information about FAFSA). You must be a degree-seeking student at South Dakota Mines in order to be awarded aid of any type. These programs are available to undergraduate students only.

Pell Grant

Pell Grants are available only to undergraduate students. However, Pell Grant eligibility ends once a student has completed their first bachelor's degree* or have received a Pell Grant for the equivalent of 6 academic years of full time enrollment (12 or more eligible attempted credit hours per semester),whichever comes first. Your Pell Grant award is based on the Expected Family Contribution listed on your Student Aid Report and full-time attendance. However, the actual amount that will be applied to your account will be based on your enrollment status as of the final add/drop date each semester, which is approximately the 10th day of the semester. If you are not enrolled in at least 12 credit hours as of the final add/drop date, an adjustment will be made to the amount of Pell Grant funds applied to your account. Also, students enrolled less than full time as of the final add/drop date may not be eligible for a disbursement of the Pell Grant due to the payment schedule established by Congress each year.  As a result, you could have an unpaid balance due on your account. Students enrolled less than half-time may be eligible.

*fulfilling degree completion requirements, but not applying for graduation or participating in the graduation ceremony, still constitutes completing the first bachelor's degree and the student is not Pell Grant eligible

Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

Available only to undergraduate students. This is a limited funded Federal program with awarding priority given to Pell Grant recipients with a $0 Expected Family Contribution (EFC) who show financial need through the FAFSA and who have filed their FAFSA on January 1 (prior to the fall semester the student will be attending South Dakota Mines) and thereafter until funds are exhausted for the award year. Recipients must be attending at least half-time in order to actually receive the funds awarded. In an effort to make this program available to as many students as possible, our awards may range from $200 to $800.