Grants are gifts of money that do not have to be earned or repaid. To apply for grants offered by the Office of Student Financial Aid, students must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year. For information on the financial aid application process, refer to our Step-by-Step Process web page.
The U.S. Department of Education website has additional information on grant programs.
The University of Iowa Office of Student Financial Aid (UI OSFA) encourages students to file the 2024-2025 FAFSA as soon as possible after it opens in December 2023 (date has not yet been announced). The FAFSA filing deadline for priority aid consideration is February 1, 2024. After a student is admitted to the University of Iowa, the FAFSA information is reviewed and the student's financial aid eligibility is determined. Students are considered for grants and scholarships before employment and loans.
Offers are made on a first-come, first-served basis. Although students can apply for financial aid throughout the year, funding for some financial aid programs may be depleted for the upcoming academic year.
More detailed financial aid application information is available on our Step-by-Step Process web page. Students will automatically be considered for the Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG, and IMAGES, if they have filed the FAFSA for the appropriate academic year.
Federal Pell Grant
This federal need-based grant is offered to the most needy students, determined by filing the FAFSA. Only undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor's degree are eligible. The amounts vary each academic year depending on program funding, number of hours for which the student is enrolled, and the expected family contribution. Less than half-time enrollment is allowed in certain circumstances.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
This federal need-based grant is offered to students with exceptional financial need, determined by filing the FAFSA, and is offered on a first-come first-served basis. Only undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor's degree are eligible. This grant is pro-rated based on credit hours. Students may receive this grant for a maximum of eight semesters.
Federal TEACH (Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education) Grant
The Federal TEACH Grant provides up to a maximum yearly amount of $4,000 to a student who agrees to serve for at least four years as a full-time teacher in a high-need field in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves students from low-income families. The 2024-2025 award is slightly less than the $4,000 maximum, due to federal sequestration.
If you are a graduate or an undergraduate student enrolled in or admitted to the College of Education, review the requirements listed in Section B of the application form. If you wish to apply, complete and submit the application form to the College of Education, Office of Educational Services, via email at educ-licensure@uiowa.edu or to N201 Lindquist Center.
IMAGES (Iowa Minority Academic Grant for Economic Success)
This university and state need-based grant is offered to Iowa residents pursuing their first undergraduate degree who are African American, Latino/Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, American Indian, or Alaskan Native and demonstrate financial need. You must be enrolled at least half-time (six hours per semester) and may receive this grant for a maximum of eight semesters. You must also file your FAFSA by the priority deadline of December 1. In the event there are reductions in state funding for the University of Iowa, support for institutional scholarships and grants may be impacted. If that happens, academic offers may be reduced within the academic year.
State of Iowa Funded Aid
If you are offered State of Iowa funded aid (Iowa National Guard Education Assistance Program, All Iowa Opportunity Scholarship, All Iowa Opportunity Foster Care Grant), in the event that available state funds are insufficient to pay the full amount of each offer, the Iowa College Student Aid Commission has the authority to administratively reduce the offer to an amount less than the statutory maximum.