STEM fields such as those related to science and engineering are on the rise riding the coat-tails of recent heavy government investing and attention. American students having scored poorly in recent years in these fields have drawn the eye of educators and government agencies alike. In response to this growing problem, incentive programs and financial aid opportunities have expanded to get more students into these fields.

Millions of dollars are being allocated for campus-based and college degree, to expand the educational opportunities for STEM-related degrees. Students will be able to take advantage of these programs, and in turn receive a more comprehensive education.

Scholarships have also been established in an effort to distribute financial aid for interested students looking to expand their education with a degree program and work toward a career in the areas of science and technology. These awards are designed to attract students into pursuing a career in these fields.

Officials are hoping that the online degree program programs will encourage colleges and universities nationwide to design and implement programs in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics that will meet the needs of businesses seeking to employ educated and knowledgeable employees. A proposed plan will also provide tuition assistance to some college students seeking to become educators themselves, in the areas of math and science.

Students interested in pursuing technology related fields will be delighted to hear that many states are empowering universities and colleges with millions of dollars toward their career placement and assistance programs. Assisting students in finding and building careers in STEM related fields is one of the primary goals of the local efforts made toward STEM degree growth.

Thousand dollar scholarships are being awarded to students in high school and college. A total of five scholarships worth $7,000 are available through three different awards. The Lighthouse Computer Services/Tech Collective scholarship will provide two $1,000 awards to high school or college students who are working pursuing careers in the IT industry and have some affiliation with the U.S. military.

The company will partner with Fibertech Networks to award a $3,000 scholarship to a female high school student planning to enroll in a degree on line program in information systems, computer systems or another IT-related field. Female and minority students who demonstrate commitment, dedication, academic excellence, leadership and determination are eligible to apply for the $1,000 Doug Schwinn/Tech Collective Scholarship.

Online colleges and online bachelors programs offer students a sprawling array of potential career paths to follow and allow prospective students the ability to pursue their education goals from the comfort of their own home.

The U.S. Department of Education’s FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), online in digital format, is considered a requirement for students who want money to help pay for college costs. For the 2009-2010 academic year, students must complete applications by deadlines that, depending upon the source, extend into September.

Through FAFSA, applicants can obtain loans and grants and work study program participation. Work study programs allow students to work part-time for some of their distance degree costs. Grants, like scholarships, are near-outright gifts. The Pell grant, one of the federal government’s best known, provides eligible undergraduate students as much as $5,000-plus.

Grant and scholarship recipients and those benefitting from work study program assistance can also obtain loans to pay for college costs. Students must repay loans, but the federal government offers low interest rates. Loans with little or no interest attached are known as “subsidized.”

Each year, the U.S. Congress budgets billions of dollars to help make higher education a reality for students. It was in 1965 that the Higher Education Act , signed into law by U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson, began serving as a vehicle to strengthen higher education and make it available to a wider population. The Pell grant was created in 1972 as the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant with the help of Senator Claiborne Pell (D-RI), for whom it was later named. More recently, a College Cost Reduction and Access Act in 2007 lowered subsidized loan interest rates while increasing Pell grant assistance.

Online FAFSA applicants must be American citizens and eligible non-citizens who’ve earned high school diplomas or General Educational Development (GED) certificates and who are taking courses at colleges, universities and trade and technical schools toward certain online bachelors and certificate programs. Applicants completing forms can expect to next receive Student Aid Reports telling how much their share of college costs would be. Then, they can touch base with the financial aid offices at the colleges of their choice.

Colleges often offer financial aid of their own, and college financial aid offices advise students in writing of the assistance different sources plan to provide. Students should consider financial aid and affordability along with how well suited a college is to their needs, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

To obtain financial aid via FAFSA for the 2009-2010 academic year, students must meet a deadline of midnight Central Daylight time on Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2010, though deadlines for state assistance through the site could be earlier. Financial aid obtained through FAFSA, or online FAFSA grant money as some call it, requires that beneficiaries meet specific academic goals.

An online FAFSA worksheet allows applicants to determine their eligibility for assistance towards their online degree and online bachelor degree, while links take the Web site’s visitors to additional financial aid sources, such as the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs that offers funding credits in exchange for community service.