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Higher
Education Reconciliation Act of 2005 (HERA) Information- Frequently Asked
Questions on ACG and National SMART Grants - General Eligibility/Change
to Eligibility Updated on 10-30-2006 Frequently Asked Questions Regarding General Eligibility/Change to EligibilityQ1:
Where can we find more information about all of the state approved programs? Q1: Where can we find more information about all of the state approved programs? A1: Answer: More information can be found about the state approved programs by visiting: (http://www.ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/attachments/0713HERAOperGuidanceAttachA.xls). A table format of the ACG Recognized State Rigorous Secondary School Programs of Study is provided for schools as a quick reference. The table includes a summary of all state programs. When accessed electronically, each state name in the table links to that state's information posted on the Department of Education's website. Having comprehensive information for all states in summary table format should be particularly helpful to schools that draw students from multiple regions of the country. If you are looking for Federal Regulations regarding state rigorous programs of study, it can be found in the Federal Register, Vol. 71, No. 127 as posted on Monday, July 3, 2006. Posted on 7/17/2006. Q2:
Should potentially eligible SMART grant students self-certify? A2:
No, for the 3rd and 4th year students, institutions have the student’s
major declaration and can determine SMART grant eligibility without the
student having to take additional steps. Posted on 7/17/2006 Q3:
Can a student receive a SMART grant regardless of when they completed
high school? A3:
Yes, a student can receive a SMART grant regardless of when they completed
high school if they meet all other eligibility requirements. Please note
that for the ACG program, the dates for high school graduation that are
in the law will remain. These dates will not be incremented each year.
Posted on 7/17/2006 Q4:
If the student self-identifies, does it suffice to verify that the applicant
meets the rigorous requirement and the verification reference relates
to general eligibility issues such as citizenship, full-time enrollment,
etc? A4:
No. The student's self-identification does not suffice to verify the applicant
meets rigorous. What we hoped to do with the notice to students and the
self-identification was to get the word out to students about the potential
eligibility for the program and to assist schools who need to use the
ISIR as a "trigger" that the student thinks they she is eligible.
This is particularly important for schools who do not routinely require
academic credentials to be submitted as part of the admissions process.
The institution should follow its normal process to confirm citizenship,
enrollment, and other issues; however, the institution MUST confirm that
the student has met the rigorous requirements. The confirmation the school
discovers could be different from what the student "self-identified."
Posted on 7/17/2006 Q5:
Is there a requirement that schools notify all students who self-identify
if they receive the ACG grant or not? A5:
We do not require that you notify students who self-identify incorrectly.
However, the student likely has an expectation that they will get the
grant and will have questions of you. Posted on 7/17/2006 Q6:
Are students allowed to use ACG/SMART for summer school enrollment? If
yes, under what circumstances? A6:
Yes, as long as the student is enrolled as a regular student, receiving
Pell Grant, in an eligible program, is full time, and otherwise eligible.
Posted on 7/17/2006 Q7:
Can a student qualify if he has already received a BA? A7:
No. If a student has already received a BA they are not eligible to receive
either an ACG or a SMART grant. Posted on 7/17/2006 Q8:
Will these grants also be eligible for vocational schools with 2 year
programs, but where students are only receiving a diploma but not a degree? A8:
No. The student must be enrolled in a 2 or 4 year degree granting program.
Posted on 7/17/2006 Q9:
Is a student ineligible for these grants after a certain age? A9:
No. Age only plays a role in the early years of implementation for the
ACG program as it helps to identify students who just graduated from high
school. No student will be discriminated on the basis of age. Posted on
7/17/2006 Q10:
Is ACG/SMART eligibility tied to Pell eligibility or Pell receipt? Can
a student receive an ACG/SMART grant in a semester in which he/she does
not receive a Pell Grant? What if that student changes Pell eligible status
from one academic year to the next? A10:
In order to receive an ACG or a SMART grant the student has to receive
a Pell Grant within the same payment period. If a student becomes eligible
for a Pell Grant and receives it, in any payment period, and meets all
other ACG/SMART requirements, the student may receive disbursement for
the whole award amount can be disbursed. Posted on 7/17/2006 Q11:
Because ACG/SMART grants are available only to US citizens, this presumes
that Domestic Born US citizens are included in that. The database match
with the SSA gives Domestic Born US citizens a different result code for
this group of students. How do we deal with this? A11:
As long as they are a confirmed citizen (and it can be domestic born,
foreign born, or naturalized) they can be eligible. If you are relying
on the SSA codes to identify these students in your system, you should
be sure to include the codes for all citizen categories. If there is no
citizenship match with SSA, you could accept alternative documentation
such as a birth certificate, U.S. Passport, naturalization paperwork,
or record of birth abroad. Posted on 7/17/2006 Q12:
Are 2-year certificate granting institutions required to participate in
the ACG grant program or does this pertain to only degree granting institutions? A12:
Any school that offers a 2 or 4 year degree program must participate.
If the “diploma” is not a degree and equates more to a certificate
then the program is not eligible for ACG. Posted on 7/17/2006 Q13:
Can ACG/SMART grants be used to meet any portion of the cost of attendance,
or is it specific to tuition? A13:
There are no restrictions on what portion of the student’s cost of
attendance can be paid for with the ACG or National SMART grants. They
are, however, need-based and may not, in conjunction with other gift aid
or need based loans or work, exceed the student’s need. Posted on
7/17/2006 Q14:
Will students in professional programs that are still classified as undergraduate
students (and who are Pell eligible) be eligible for ACG/SMART grants? A14:
If they are still in a program that has the students classified as undergraduates,
and the program leads to a 2 or 4 year degree, the students may be eligible
based on the other criteria for the ACG or the National SMART grant. Posted
on 7/17/2006 Q15:
If a school offers bachelor programs that are only for third year and
fourth year students (an Associate degree is required to start the program),
would the institution be considered a 4-year program for the purpose of
SMART grants? A15:
Yes, as long as this program leads to a baccalaureate degree. Posted on
7/17/2006 Q16:
If an institution identifies an eligible ACG candidate, is the student
required to self-identify through the website if they have not already
done so? A16:
No. Because the institution must verify/confirm eligibility for each ACG
recipient, no self-identification is necessary. Posted on 7/17/2006 Q17:
What if a student becomes a US Citizen during the academic year, and this
was previously the only criteria he did not meet for ACG/SMART? A17:
If a student becomes a US Citizen during the academic year, and he meets
all other ACG/SMART requirements, he may receive disbursement for the
whole award amount, including payment for a previous term during the same
award period. Posted on 7/17/2006 Q18:
As far as grant considerations, will there be a deadline set for filing
the FAFSA? A18:
The deadline for filing the FAFSA is the same for the ACG/National SMART
grant as for all other Title IV programs. Those deadlines are published
annually in the Federal Register. It is always best for a student to apply
for all types of financial aid as early as possible; however, for 2006-2007
the deadline for applying for the new grant programs is the same as for
the Pell Grant and student loans which is July 2, 2007. The application
process for the 2006-2007 has been available since January 1, 2006. Posted
on 7/17/2006 Q19:
Can schools include hours from a consortium agreement to make up the full-time
status? A19:
The schools can include these hours for full-time status as long as the
courses are applicable to the students program, and the home institution
recognizes this enrollment for purposes of full-time status. The home
institution must pay the Pell and the ACG/National SMART grants, since
the student has to be enrolled in a degree granting program at the institution
that is awarding the degree. Posted on 7/17/2006 Q20:
What if a student has a foreign high school diploma and is a naturalized
citizen? Would they qualify for ACG/SMART? A20:
A student attending an institution in a state other than the one in which
the student completed high school qualifies for ACG based on the state
from which the student completed high school OR from any of the other
Secretarial pre-approved options. Posted on 7/17/2006 Q21:
If a student is attending an institution in a different state from the
one in which they completed high school, which state standard must they
meet in order to qualify for the AC Grant? A21:
A student qualifies for ACG based on the state in which the student completed
the rigorous program of study OR from any of the other Secretarial pre-approved
options. Posted on 7/17/2006 Q22:
Will the date of graduation for year one ACG recipients role forward each
year so that year one students in the 07-08 award year will be unable
to qualify unless they have a graduation date of 1/1/07 or later? A22:
The dates are that are in the law are: January 1, 2005 for ACG (2) and
January 1, 2006 for ACG (1). Without a change to the law, the dates will
not change. Posted on 7/17/2006 Q23:
Will zero-level courses and remedial courses count towards being full-time
for ACG/SMART? A23:
A student must be enrolled full-time (a minimum of 12 credits) as a requirement
to receive these grants. Credits for remedial and zero-level courses count
towards determining full-time status just as they do for Pell Grant. However,
since by definition, these courses do not result an credits earned toward
the student's degree objective, this coursework does not count in determining
whether a student has completed a Title IV academic year. Additionally,
the grades earned in these courses would only count in the ACG/SMART GPA
calculation if they would be included under the school's academic policies.
Posted on October 30, 2006 Q24:
Does the law prohibit grants for students who were enrolled before the
February 8, 2006 date of enactment of HERA? A24:
The statutory provision related to the date of enactment of the HERA means
that the Secretary begins providing grants for payment periods beginning
with the 2006-2007 award year. The provision prohibits grants from being
made for payment periods prior to that award year. Posted on October 30,
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