Grants are typically associated with a criteria for need as well as merit.  Grants do not need to be paid back and Otis participates is Federal, State and Institutional Grants.

A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid. Pell Grants are awarded usually only to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor's or a professional degree. (In some cases, however, a student enrolled in a post-baccalaureate teacher certification program might receive a Pell Grant.) Pell Grants are considered a foundation of federal financial aid, to which aid from other federal and nonfederal sources might be added. The maximum award for the 2006-07 award year (July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2007) is $4,050. The maximum can change each award year and depends on program funding. The amount you get, though, will depend not only on your financial need, but also on your costs to attend school, your status as a full-time or part-time student, and your plans to attend school for a full academic year or less.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) are for undergraduates with exceptional financial need. Pell Grant recipients with the lowest EFCs will be the first to get FSEOGs. Just like Pell Grants, FSEOGs don't have to be paid back.

The Academic Competitiveness Grant is available for the first time for the 2006-2007 school year for first year students who graduated from high school after January 1, 2006, and for second year students who graduated from high school after January 1, 2005. The Academic Competitiveness Grant award is in addition to the student's Pell Grant award.

An Academic Competitiveness Grant will provide up to $750 for the first year of undergraduate study and up to $1,300 for the second year of undergraduate study to full-time students who are eligible for a Federal Pell Grant and who had successfully completed a rigorous high school program, as determined by the state or local education agency and recognized by the Secretary of Education. Second year students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0.

To apply, a student must be a California resident for at least one year prior to application, from March to March. California residents apply by completing a Cal Grant GPA Verification Form and the FAFSA by March 2 of each year. Applications are available through the California Student Aid Commission website: www.csac.ca.gov or through the Financial Aid Office beginning January 1.

Applicants may also request a GPA Verification Form from their high school or community college counseling office or from Otis’ website under forms and publications. Cal Grants, awarded by the state to qualified residents, are based on financial need and grade point average. Students who attended a non-graded high school must take the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). The deadline for filing the SAT forms is September of each year. Further information can be obtained from the College Board Admissions Testing Program, P.O. Box 1025, Berkeley, CA 94701.

Out-of-State Scholarship and Grant Programs
Many states maintain scholarship and grant programs. The requirements for qualifying students may vary from state to state, but students must maintain a legal permanent address in their home state.

Otis Grant is awarded to new and continuing students. The grant is based on merit and need. Students must apply with the FAFSA to establish need when they first enter Otis. The student must at least complete the Otis Financial Aid Application for Continuing Students in the subsequent years.  Otis Grant is renewed until the original date of graduation upon entering Otis.

Merit for new incoming students is determined through a competitive evaluation of the applicant’s admission materials.The determination of merit for continuing students is by review of academic records and department chair nominations.

• Any and all Otis grants and scholarships are not earned until after the completion of the tuition adjustment period as published in the catalog.
• Students who drop below full time status or withdraw after the completion of the tuition adjustment period as published in the catalog will retain Otis grants and scholarships.
• Students who drop below full time status or withdraw before the completion of the tuition adjustment period as published in the catalog forfeit all Otis grants and scholarships.