$38,000 Grant To Go Back To School

You may have seen references online to a $38,000 grant to go back to school. While no single grant gives students $38,000, you can easily reach, or even exceed that amount over a 3 or 4-year period by combining federal and state grants.

Free Money To Go Back to School

Two federal programs, the Pell Grant and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, provide substantial financial support for low-income students going to school for a degree or vocational certification. Add them together, and you could get grants worth $38,000 or more to help pay for your education.

To qualify for grants, you must complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) before the annual deadline.

FAFSA: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa

How Much Can You Get From The Pell Grant?

For the 2025-26 academic year, the maximum Pell Grant is $7,395 per year.

Eligibility is based on financial need, and only low-income students qualify for the maximum award. If you don’t qualify for the maximum, you can still receive a smaller grant. According to figures from the National College Attainment Network, the average Pell grant award for the 2024-2025 academic year was $5,339.

Related Topic: $7,000 Government Grant and how to apply

The actual amount you will qualify for depends on your:

• SAI – Student Aid Index (how much you are expected to pay yourself based on your FAFSA information)
• COA – Cost of Attendance (tuition, accommodation, child care, books, etc.)
• Financial Need

Let’s say your cost of attending this year is $16,000 and your SAI is $9,000. That means the financial aid office has worked out that you can afford to pay $9,000. Your financial need is therefore $7,000 and your Pell Grant for the year would be $7,000 (just under the maximum).

Pell Grants can be used for tuition, fees, and other education-related expenses.

If you qualify for the maximum Pell Grant of $7,395 per year, that’s a total of $22,185 over a 3-year college course or $29,580 in grants for a 4-year program.

You won’t get the entire amount in one payment. Grants are paid out each year as long as you’re still eligible.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

This grant awards up to $4,000 per year to students with exceptional financial need. Funds are limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis by each school.

If you qualify for the maximum FSEOG, you’ll get $12,000 over the course of a 3-year program or $16,000 in total payments if you study for a 4-year degree.

Combining The Pell Grant and FSEOG

Here’s where figures like the $38,000 college grant come from. Simply combine the 2 grants, and you’re looking at a lot of free money for school.

The combined maximum Pell Grant and FSEOG total $11,395 per year ($7,395 + $4,000).

Over a standard 4-year program, this adds up to:

$11,395 × 4 = $45,580

Even in a 3-year program, you’d still be looking at over $34,000 in grant aid.

Using State Grants For School

Most states offer free grants to go back to school. These grants help students pay for college or trade school, and amounts vary by state and financial need. Depending on your state program, the grant award combined with your Pell Grant and FSEOG could cover the full cost of going back to school.

The most generous state programs include:

• California’s Cal grant which offers up to $12,630 annually for tuition, accommodation, books and supplies.

• Washington’s WA Grant, which can cover the entire cost of a degree or vocational program. A student from a family of 4 with a household income under $78,500 will get their costs covered. Students from families earning up to $131,000 qualify for some level of assistance.

• Tennessee’s last dollar scholarship, Tennessee Promise, which covers any remaining tuition and fees after other financial aid has been applied.

• Iowa’s Future Ready Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship, which pays the remaining costs after other financial aid has been applied. Students must be enrolled in an eligible program.

Free Grants To Go Back To School For Unemployed Workers

If you’ve lost your job, and you’re trying to figure out how to afford the cost of going to college or training for a new career, several grants and programs can help.

Because you’re on a very low income, you’ll almost certainly qualify for the Pell Grant and FSEOG. Combined with state funding, this financial assistance can fully cover the cost of attending in-state community colleges.

As an unemployed worker, you can also access a wide range of training programs funded by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

WIOA programs help jobseekers gain the skills, training, and credentials they need to get good jobs in high demand fields.

Here’s what WIOA funding can cover:

Diplomas and High School Equivalency Programs

For adults who haven’t completed high school, WIOA can pay for high school diploma or GED programs.

Certificate Programs

WIOA supports short-term vocational or technical certificate programs, often lasting a few months. Examples include IT certifications, medical billing and coding, pharmacy technician training, or welding and HVAC certifications.

Associate Degrees

Some Workforce offices partner with local community colleges to fund associate degree programs in fields with high demand. This can include nursing, information technology, business administration, or applied sciences.

Skilled Trades and Technical Training

Many WIOA programs focus on trades that are in high demand, such as electrician, plumbing, carpentry, CNC machining, and automotive technology. These programs often include hands-on training and industry-recognized certifications.

Contact your local American Job Center to find out about programs that fit your needs: https://www.careeronestop.org/LocalHelp/AmericanJobCenters/american-job-centers.aspx

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