At a glance
Free if eligible- What it covers
- Participating college projects provide tutoring, course-selection advice, financial-aid/scholarship information, FAFSA help and financial-literacy support, with transfer or graduate-application assistance where applicable. Federal project grants go to institutions; being first-generation does not itself create an individual tuition award.As of Oct 16, 2026 · Electronic Code of Federal Regulations ↗
- Income / financial rules
- Low income is one qualifying route, alongside first-generation status or disability. The regulation defines low income using family taxable income no greater than 150% of the poverty level in the calendar year before first participation; that is not a universal AGI or household-dollar cap for all applicants.As of Oct 16, 2026 · Electronic Code of Federal Regulations ↗
- Who to check first
- Be enrolled at a college with an SSS grant/project, or accepted for enrollment there in the next academic term. Not every college is a participating institution, and a national programme description does not establish an open local place.As of Oct 16, 2026 · Electronic Code of Federal Regulations ↗
- Application timing
- Campus-specific participant intake. Ask the college project about current availability and its student deadlines; no universal national student closing date is established by the cited regulations.As of Oct 16, 2026 · Electronic Code of Federal Regulations ↗
Check your eligibility
Some items describe alternative routes rather than requirements for everyone. Use the route that applies to you as a preparation checklist; the program makes the eligibility decision.
How to apply
- 1Ask your college’s TRIO/Student Support Services or student-services office whether it runs an SSS project, which campus/population it serves and whether it is accepting student participants. Start locally; the federal grant application is for institutions.As of Oct 16, 2026 · Electronic Code of Federal Regulations ↗
- 2Request the campus participant intake and documentation list. Have the project review enrollment/acceptance, academic-support need and the relevant low-income, first-generation or disability route. Do not assume that a FAFSA submission or an audience tag enrolls you in SSS.As of Oct 16, 2026 · Electronic Code of Federal Regulations ↗
- 3After the project accepts you, make a support plan for tutoring, applicable course selection, financial-aid forms and transfer/graduate application goals. Ask the office about the exact services and any current local grant-aid opportunities rather than assuming a national cash amount.As of Oct 16, 2026 · Electronic Code of Federal Regulations ↗
What to watch for
Common questions
What is the main benefit?
Participating college projects provide tutoring, course-selection advice, financial-aid/scholarship information, FAFSA help and financial-literacy support, with transfer or graduate-application assistance where applicable. Federal project grants go to institutions; being first-generation does not itself create an individual tuition award.
Is there an income limit?
Low income is one qualifying route, alongside first-generation status or disability. The regulation defines low income using family taxable income no greater than 150% of the poverty level in the calendar year before first participation; that is not a universal AGI or household-dollar cap for all applicants.
When should I apply?
Campus-specific participant intake. Ask the college project about current availability and its student deadlines; no universal national student closing date is established by the cited regulations.
Sources & verification
Source summaries checked by automated research on the dates below. No human professional review is claimed.