Nicholls State University
Office of Financial Aid

The Louisiana Go Grant is a new, need-based state grant for students for the 2009-2010 award year. The Go Grant is aimed at bridging the gap between the amount of financial aid a student is awarded through the Federal Pell Grant program and the actual cost of attending a Louisiana college or university. A student must meet specific program requirements to be eligible to receive this grant.

To be eligible for the Go Grant, a student must:

• Be a Louisiana resident as reported on the FAFSA (Louisiana is the true, fixed, and permanent home of residence.);
• Be a Federal Pell Grant recipient during the same semester the Go Grant is awarded;
• Be enrolled as a first-time freshman for the Summer 2009 semester, the Fall 2009 semester, or thereafter, or be aged 25* or older and not have enrolled in a college or university in credit bearing courses for at least one academic year (two consecutive regular semesters or three consecutive regular quarters); or be a continuing student who meets eligibility requirements;
• Have an Education Cost Gap (ECG) greater than zero as determined by the ECG formula;
• Be enrolled as a certificate or degree seeking undergraduate student at a Louisiana public or private college or university;
• Meet satisfactory academic progress standards;
• Not have a criminal conviction, except for misdemeanor traffic violations;
• Be enrolled in an undergraduate program through the Statistics Day.

*A student’s age is calculated by subtracting his or her birth year from the academic year that he begins college enrollment. For example, a student who is born in 1985 and who enrolls in college during the 2009-2010 academic year (Fall 2009 or Spring 2010) is 24 [2009 (academic begin year) – 1985 (birth year) = 24] for purposes of the Go Grant.

Education Cost Gap (ECG) Formula

• The Education Cost Gap must be greater than zero. The ECG formula is as follows:
$3,960 – tuition and mandatory fees, as defined by the Board of Regents
plus
$2,000 – textbooks, supplies, materials and other related education expenses
minus
student’s full-time, full-year Federal Pell Grant award amount
equals
Education Cost Gap

Maximum Allowable Award Amounts

• The maximum annual award amounts are determined by the student’s enrollment status. Eligible students may receive the following award amounts:
• Full-Time [12 or more hours]

$2,000 for the year ($1,000 per semester)

• Half-Time -Three-Quarter-Time [6-11 hours]

$1,000 for the year ($500 per semester)

• Less-Than-Half-Time [< 6 hours]

$500 for the year ($250 per semester)

Additional Requirements

• The Go Grant is a need-based award, so the Go Grant award counts towards fulfilling a student’s overall need. A student cannot be overawarded when he or she receives a Go Grant. Adjustments of award amounts may be necessary if the amount of the Go Grant, when combined with a student’s other awards and expected family contribution, exceed the student’s cost of attendance.
• The amount of the Go Grant is based on the enrollment status the student indicated on his or her Student Aid Report. Please be aware that a student’s enrollment status is not official until after the Statistics Day, which is the 14th class day for regular semesters. For all other sessions, the Statistics Day will vary. If a student adds or drops classes on or before the Statistics Day, the Go Grant award amount may be increased or decreased.