Useful Links for Financial Aid & Grants
Financial Aid
The U.S. Department of Education provides more than $150 billion in federal grants, loans, and work-study funds each year. Their website provides information on how to prepare for college, different types of aid, eligibility for aid, how to apply for FAFSA and repaying loans. StudentAid.gov combines informational content and interactive tools to find information and resources about planning and paying for college.
- FinAid.org is highly recommended and offers a number of features including information on filling out financial aid forms, searching for scholarships, and even student loan calculators.
- Peterson's offers a through analysis of the financial aid process, including an Ask the Experts column where students and families have the opportunity to speak directly with financial planning professions.
- If you are interested in calculating your eligibility for financial aid, FAFSA4CASTER is an essential tool
- FAFSA on the Web—The official online application is at www.fafsa.gov.
- PIN site—Students can apply for the personal identification number needed to sign the online FAFSA at www.pin.ed.gov.
- Federal school codes (to be entered on the FAFSA) can be found at www.fafsa.gov.
- Estimate your eligibility for Financial Aid here
- Vocational rehabilitation state agency list at www.ed.gov/svr
- Information about disability programs and services nationwide at www.disability.gov
- Tax Information for Students—Has federal income tax credit information and other useful information for students at www.irs.gov/individuals/students.
- AmeriCorps—Details about a variety of national service options and how students can earn financial awards to be used for education are at www.americorps.gov.
Grants
Questions about applying for grants and scholarships? Here you will find a general overview of how to begin the process.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services financial aid for college or professional school is described at www.hhs.gov/grants.
- GI Bill benefits—The U.S. Department of Veterans
State grant agencies—A list is at www.ed.gov/sgt.
- Selective Service System—Draft registration and information about Selective Service is available at www.sss.gov.
International Students
While international students can not apply for federal aid at most schools, there are a number of benefits of being an international applicant. To see some of the pros and cons of applying as an international student to a US institution, check out Financial Aid Information for International Students on SimpleTuition.com.