College Housing Grants

Grants specific for college housing are hard to come by.  The reason being is such a grant would be redundant; a general grant can usually be used to cover room and board along with other school-related expenses.

Regardless of the type of grant secured, the student never has to be concerned with repayment.  This is the prime advantage that grants (including the rare college housing grant) have over loans, whether the loans are subsidized or not.

Where to get a college housing grant

The few grants specifically for housing are generally awarded at the state level.  For instance, applicants in Massachusetts might qualify for the MSCBA housing grant and Davison College in North Carolina offers a small grant for summer assistantships.   The ROTC Room and Board Scholarship, which is solely available for Texas A&M University students, is another housing grant of note.

Alternatives

As mentioned, you can use general grants if no college housing grants are available.  The most recognized is the Pell grant.  There are others (which can be found to the left side of this page) including:

• National SMARTS grant
• TEACH grant
• Academic Competitiveness Grant
• Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant

What to do next

Federally funded grants require a filed FAFSA form, so submitting one is a good place to start.  The next step would be contacting the financial aid department of the college you plan to attend to request a list of any state specific grants.  Finally, you can use a grant search site like grants.gov to see if any housing assistance grants are currently available.