Grants aren’t just available for those in college. In fact, the best time to start applying for scholarships and grants is well before college begins. In fact, there are specific high school student grants. The process for obtaining high school student grants is similar if not identical to the process for earning grants after graduation. The grants are awarded based on your application and they are tied to a certain performance on your part.

Understanding High School Student Grants
A grant is money you earn after the fact. With high school student grants, you’ll be given a check along with certain expectations. You’ll be able to use the money for college courses during your time in school or perhaps to be a part of a specialized program, but with that money comes the criteria set forth by the issuing company. It might be something as simple as writing a paper after the course or experience to use on the company’s website. You might be expected to intern at the company for a period of time. You might be asked to present what you’ve done to a special group inside the company. If you fail to meet whatever the requirements ask, you’ll be asked to repay the funds.

College Savings Now
High school student grants can be used now or later in many cases. The grants might be tied to a certain experience for high school students or just teenagers in general. A summer abroad or a student exchange program might be paid for with a grant, but some grants are offered early as part of your college savings program. The grants might have requirements now or they might have requirements later. If you win a grant, for example, that requires you study a natural science, you’ll need to follow through on that – even if you’re just sixteen when you win the grant.

Another option rather than saving for college classes is to begin duel enrollment while still in high school. Many community colleges offer programs for high school students who are looking to get ahead on their college coursework. If your high school doesn’t offer dual enrollment, you’ll be required to pay for your college classes on your own. This is where a high school student grant can help.

With the help of the grant, you can start college coursework immediately and by the time you graduate from high school, you may be able to walk away with an associated degree as well. At a minimum, you might have the first year of college coursework under your belt and be more prepared than your peers to head off to a university as a transfer student rather than a freshman.

Using community college hours is far less expensive than a full university as well. Using grants for high school students to help you with duel enrollment allows you to spend your money far more effectively, especially as you’ll still be living at home at the time. Your grant funds will be going directly to a low tuition payment getting you more for less.