Grants

 

Grants are need-based financial aid that do not have to be repaid. Most grants require students to:

Students selected for Verification must submit all required documentation by published deadlines. Failure to do so may result in cancellation of aid.

Students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA as early as possible each year.

State Grants 

 

State grants are funded by the State of New Mexico and are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Students should submit the FAFSA by March 1 (NMSU’s priority deadline) to maximize eligibility.

NM Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership Grant (LEAP)

Provides need-based aid to eligible New Mexico residents. Priority is given to students who receive a Federal Pell Grant. Awards are based on financial need, enrollment status, campus, and availability of funds.

Federal Grants

 

Federal Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant is awarded to eligible undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor’s or professional degree.

Award amounts are determined by:

  • Student Aid Index (SAI)

  • Cost of Attendance (COA)

  • Enrollment status

  • Length of enrollment during the academic year

Students may receive Pell for up to 12 full-time semesters (600% lifetime limit) and may only receive Pell funds from one institution at a time. Students must meet all eligibility requirements by the semester’s full-term census date.

Special Eligibility (Military-Related)

Students whose parent or guardian died as a result of military service in Iraq or Afghanistan after September 11, 2001, may qualify for additional benefits if, at the time of the parent’s or guardian’s death, the student was:

  • Under 24 years old, or

  • Enrolled in college at least part-time

If eligible for Pell, the student’s SAI may be adjusted to zero to maximize Pell eligibility. Students who do not qualify for Pell due to SAI may be eligible for the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant.

Summer Pell

Students who did not receive their full scheduled Pell award during the academic year may be eligible for remaining funds during the summer term. Students must:

  • Have remaining lifetime Pell eligibility

  • Be enrolled at least half-time (if applicable)

  • Submit the FAFSA for the correct award year

  • Meet all eligibility requirements by the summer term census date

Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

The Federal SEOG provides additional need-based aid to low-income undergraduate students. Priority is given to students who receive a Federal Pell Grant. Funds are limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant (IASG)

Students may be eligible if:

  • They are not eligible for a Federal Pell Grant based on SAI

  • They meet all other Pell eligibility requirements

  • Their parent or guardian died as a result of military service in Iraq or Afghanistan after September 11, 2001

  • They were under 24 or enrolled at least part-time at the time of death

Award amounts are based on a percentage of the maximum Pell Grant for the award year and may not exceed the student’s Cost of Attendance.

TEACH Grant

The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant provides up to:

  • $16,000 for undergraduate students

  • $8,000 for graduate students

Recipients must agree to teach full-time for at least four academic years in a high-need field at a low-income school within eight years of completing their program.

Failure to complete the service obligation will result in the TEACH Grant being converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, which must be repaid with interest.

High-need fields include:

Learn about the TEACH Grant