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Guides students through the process of locating and applying for financial aid.  Prepared by the Congressional Research Service for the U.S. Senate, updated August 2018.

getting started

Student aid and where it comes from

Basic assistance categories

  • Financial need-based: Remember that students and their parents are responsible for paying what they can– financial aid is a supplement, not a substitute, for family resources.
  • Non need-based: Factors include academic excellence, ethnic background, or organization membership. Corporations may also offer assistance to employees and children.

 

Federal Student Aid

  • Provides nearly 70% of student aid under Loans, Grants and Work/study programs.
  • Available to all need-based applicants; some loans and competitive scholarships for non need-based.
  • Free information from the U.S. Department of Education:
  • Loans are the most common federal aid and must be repaid when you graduate or leave college:

 

States offer residents a variety of scholarships, loans, and tuition exemptions.

 

Colleges and universities provide some 20% of aid, most need-based. Check your university web site and the institution’s financial aid office when you apply for admission.

Private foundations, corporations, and organizations offer scholarships or grants:

Targeted aid for special groups

 

Interested in public service?

Federal assistance programs seek to encourage people to work in geographic areas or professions where there’s a particular need (such as doctors in underserved areas); encourage underrepresented groups to enter a particular profession; and provide aid in exchange for services provided (such as military service).

 

Aid for private K-12 education: No direct federal assistance, check with schools themselves:

Repaying your loans

After college, the federal government has ways to help you repay your loans.