President Obama has proposed changes for the Pell Grant program, which provides money to individuals pursuing a college degree based on need. Unlike student loans, a college grant does not have to be paid back.

Under the new budget plan, the Education Department would increase the maximum funds available through a Pell Grant to $5,710 in 2011 from the current allocation of $5,350 per student. Students can apply for these grants online by filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid on the Department of Education Web site.

The president is also asking Congress to make the Pell Grant “an entitlement that receives an automatic budget allocation each year to meet the number of students who qualify,” according to The Chronicle of Higher Education.

If approved by Congress, the change would add a million students to the program’s rolls. Overall, it would allocate $115 billion in Pell Grants over the next 10 years.

According to the White House, the president’s plan would also ensure that as many as 99 percent of students who are eligible for these grants receive more funds to pursue their college degrees.

The proposal is in line with the Obama administration’s continuing stance on the importance of a college education. “In the 21st century, the best anti-poverty program around is a world-class education,” the president said during his recent State of the Union Address.