College Financial Aid

Financial aid is awarded based on financial need, grade level and FAFSA filing dates. Financial need is the difference between the Cost of Attendance, as reflected on standard budgets, and the amount a student and his or her family is expected to contribute toward an education. Financial Aid is available to help pay for tuition, fees, books, supplies, and the student's living expenses while enrolled. Assistance may be provided through some combination of scholarships, grants, work opportunities, and loans. This assistance is based on the principle that you and your parents have the primary responsibility for paying for your post-secondary education if you are a dependent student. This is why you may be required to report your parent(s)' income.

Financial aid is funds awarded to you to help pay educational costs. And that means educational costs only. The federal and state governments as well as post secondary schools are public sources of aid, while civic groups, clubs, and religious organizations serve as private sources of aid. Assistance can be in the form of money made available by federal and state governments and private sources in the form of grants, scholarships, loans and employment. These funds are available to make it possible for students to continue their education beyond high school even if they and their family cannot meet the full costs of the post secondary school they choose to attend. Financial aid is money provided to you to bridge the gap between your (and your family's) resources and the total cost of attendance at college.

Most financial aid is awarded on the basis of demonstrated financial need; some is awarded on the basis of merit only; using the criteria of outstanding academic or artistic promise. Financial aid is available only to fill the gap between a family's contribution and the student's yearly academic expenses.

Need-based grants are funds that do not need to be repaid. They are generally awarded to students with the greatest financial need. Need-based aid is awarded based on the applicant demonstrating financial need for the award. For most prospectivve students, these are the nicest to get bu take the most amount of work to obtain.

State governments also typically provide some types of need- and non-need-based aid, consisting of grants, loans, work-study programs, tuition waivers, and scholarships. Individual colleges and universities may provide grants and need- and merit-based scholarships. States, like the federal government, must appropriate the money in their budgets.