How to apply for financial aid and scholarships
Financial aid is a crucial factor that influences a student’s decision due to the financial hardship it causes. There are many elements that affect the cost, such as housing, and out of state tuition. However going to college is always a possibility; there are many forms of financial aid for students who wish to continue with higher education. Before you apply for financial aid make sure you meet all the requirements for the aid.
- Scholarships are money that does not need to be repaid, some scholarships are based on academic merit
- There are plenty of scholarships that are given for specific talent or characteristics. The quantity may vary and there are no limit to how many scholarships you can apply
- Some scholarships are specifically for a university or for a field of study
- Fastweb
- Gates Foundation
- StudentAid.gov
- Financial Awareness Counseling Tool
- Hispanic College Fund
- Sometimes schools also offer financial aid to students who excel in extracurricular activities and or sports (Grants).
- Universities also offer scholarships to first generation college students.
- Each state also offers scholarships to its residents
- The government offers student loans, which must be repaid after graduation.
- There are various types of loans, pay close attention when selecting a loan to make sure you do not pay higher interest rates.
- FAFSA is a crucial form that determines if you qualify for financial aid, is a long applications however it provides many benefits
- For private universities you will fill out a separate application for financial aid called CSS profile, it can be found here.
- Universities also offer work study which allows you to work on campus whille you attend school. The eligibility for this type of financial aid is determined by the FAFSA