Federal Grants

• Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (fafsa.ed.gov) form is the first step for college freshmen in obtaining federal college grant funds. Filing the FAFSA will help qualify college freshmen for a Pell Grant of up to $5,500. The amount of the Pell Grant awarded varies based on financial need, college cost, and other eligibility requirements. College freshmen intending to become teachers can also apply for a TEACH grant of up to $4,000 a year.
  
  

State Grants

• In 2009-2010, all 50 states provided grants for college averaging $662, according to the College Board. Some states, including Oregon, New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Rhode Island, award college grants based almost exclusively on financial need, the College Board reported in 2010. If you live in Wyoming and will be a first-time college freshman, apply for a Wyoming College Access Grant of up to $1,000 at wyo4ed.org. Full-time or half-time college students who are Rhode Island residents should apply for a Rhode Island state grant of between $250 and $700 at riheaa.org.
  
  

Institutional Grants

• According to a 2010 report from the College Board, in 2009-2010, four-year public colleges and universities provided an average institutional grant of $580 a year for students with financial need, and an additional $410 that was not based on financial need. College freshmen should apply for a grant through the financial aid office of the college they will attend. For example, college freshmen attending the University of Akron, Ohio are eligible for grants ranging from $1,000 to $6,000 a year depending on academic performance, level of need, and other factors.
  
  

Private Scholarships

• According to the College Board, the first step for college freshmen seeking scholarships is researching privately funded local scholarships through their high school counseling office. Private college scholarships are awarded geographically, for different fields of study, to meet financial need, for athletic and academic merit, and a variety of other special purposes. For example, students who are 18 years or younger with talent in math, science, literature, music, technology, philosophy, and "thinking outside the box" should apply for a Davidson Fellows Scholarship of between $10,000 an $50,000 at davidsongifted.org.