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 United States Department of Education:
- Funding Your Education
- Student Guide
Loans are the most common federal aid and must be repaid when you graduate or leave college.
- Stafford Loans include:
  - Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL)
  - William D. Ford Direct Loans (DL)
  - Federal PLUS Loans parental loans, not need-based.
- Perkins Loans for the most needy undergraduates; through participating schools.
Scholarships/grants are mostly need-based and require no repayment:
- Pell Grants
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG)
Other grants, scholarships, and fellowships, mostly graduate level: search the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)
"Congressional" scholarships:
- Named for Member of Congress or other prominent individual (such as Byrd Honors Scholarships, Fulbright fellowships)
- Merit-based and highly competitive
- Members of Congress do not play a role in selecting recipients
- Search by Beneficiary in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
Work study programs allow you to earn money while in school:
- Federal Work Study Program: college campus jobs
- Student Educational Employment: jobs with the federal government
For questions not covered by the Department of Education Web site, call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243.

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

Check with your state higher education agency and guarantee agency.
Consider prepaid tuition and college savings ("Section 529") plans: College Savings Plans Network.
Search your Internet browser under terms such as student financial aid or assistance AND your state.

Colleges and universities provide some 20% of aid, most need-based. Check university Web sites and the institution's financial aid office when you apply for admission.

Private foundations, corporations, and organizations offer scholarships or grants:
Scholarship Search
FastWeb
Free Scholarship Search
Grants for Individuals
Express Express