I defaulted on a student loan in 1975 and it was discharged in bankruptcy somewhere between 1978 and 1979 or 80. Can this loan be found out and collected if I should apply to FAFSA for a grant to go to vocational school?

1. you need to review your bankruptcy paper work, since a federal student loan can not be discharged in bankruptcy, while you list it, they are specificly listed as not dischargable. So unless this was a private college loan, most likely you filed bankruptcy, listed it, did not hear or read the fine print and only believed it was discharged.

So my belief is that it is still a valid debt and has grown over the years with interest and other charges to perhaps 3 or 4 times the original size.

I would research your bankruptcy to verify