SMART Grant
The National Science & Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) Grant is a need-based federal grant for students who pursue college majors in high demand in the global economy, such as science, mathematics, technology, engineering, and critical foreign languages. It is awarded to eligible students in their third and fourth academic years of study. A student must meet specific program requirements to be eligible to receive this grant.
A third-year student is defined as one who has earned between 48-72 credit hours (not including remedial hours). A fourth-year student is defined as one who has earned between 73 credit hours to completion of the program (not including remedial hours). For the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 award years only, the Department of Education has clarified that a student’s fourth academic year is considered extended under this guidance for coursework necessary for the student to complete the requirements for his or her academic program.
A student may receive up to $4,000 for his or her third academic year of study and up to $4,000 for his or her fourth academic year of study. The award is issued in two disbursements provided the student meets the eligibility requirements. Normally, a student would receive $2,000 for the first semester and $2,000 for the second semester. A student can only receive a third-year award and a fourth-year award once, regardless of if the student is still in the hour range for a specific academic year and meets all other program requirements.
To be eligible for a SMART Grant, a student must:
- Be a U.S. citizen;
- Be a Federal Pell Grant recipient during the same award year;
- Be enrolled in an eligible four-year degree program;
- Be pursuing an eligible college major in physical, life, or computer science, engineering, mathematics, technology, or a critical-need foreign language (A complete list of eligible majors can be found here.
- Be enrolled in courses that lead to the completion of the eligible program;
- Be enrolled full-time as of the 14th class day in a regular semester (7th for summer);
- Be enrolled in a four-year degree-granting institution;
- Have demonstrated financial need;
- Meet satisfactory academic progress standards;
- Have not previously received a bachelor’s or professional degree;
- Have earned a minimum cumulative external 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale as set forth in regulations.
To continue to receive the SMART grant, students must meet all eligibility requirements listed above and must have earned a minimum cumulative external 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale at the end of the last semester before each disbursement. The student also cannot have previously received a third-year award or a fourth-year award.
Additional Requirements
- SMART is a need-based award, so the SMART award counts towards fulfilling a student’s overall need. A student cannot be overawarded when he or she receives a SMART Grant. Adjustments of award amounts may be necessary if the amount of the SMART Grant, when combined with a student’s other awards and expected family contribution, exceed the student’s cost of attendance.
- The earned hours and GPA used to determine eligibility include college level credit earned while in high school due to exam, transfer credit, or dual enrollment credit. International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Placement (AP) credits count in earned hours, but they do not count in the GPA. Hours for remedial coursework count towards determining a student’s full-time enrollment as of the 14th class day (7th for summer), but remedial coursework does NOT count in a student’s earned hours for progression purposes. Remedial hours and grades do count in the GPA.
- The federal government does not allow for an appeal or reinstatement process for students who do not meet the continuing eligibility requirements.
- Students must meet all other Title IV eligibility requirements.
- 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.