Paying for College

The College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC) is a great resources for families with college bound seniors. Students & parents can find information about planning for college, applying to college, & paying for it.

CFNC's Student Financial Aid for North Carolinians is a comprehensive guide for financial aid. It includes information on federal aid, scholarship programs, resources for military families, & resources for students with special needs.

Financial aid is money that can help pay for college. Some aid needs to be paid back or earned, and some aid is a gift. This money is available to nearly every student. Here are some important things to know about financial aid:

1. Financial aid can help you go to college

Getting financial aid can make it possible for you to go to college or it might enable you to attend a college you thought you couldn’t afford.

2. More than $207 billion in aid is available

There are 4 main sources of financial aid:

  • The federal government (the largest source)
  • State governments
  • Colleges & universities
  • Private organizations

3. You must apply for aid to qualify

One thing is for sure: If you don’t fill out financial aid forms, you won’t get any aid! Even if you think you won’t qualify, you should still submit the forms just in case.

4. The FAFSA is the best place to start—and it’s free

To qualify for many types of aid, you’ll need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This application gives you access to the following types of aid:

  • Scholarships & grants
  • Work-study jobs
  • Federally funded loans

5. The FAFSA isn’t only for federal aid

The FAFSA qualifies you for federal aid, but many state governments & colleges also use the application to award their own aid.

6. Completing the FAFSA is convenient

You can complete the form online or download & print the paper forms at www.fafsa.ed.gov. You can even import your family’s tax information directly from the IRS website to save time.

7. More aid is out there

Once you have completed the FAFSA, you can also apply for these types of aid:

  • Specific scholarships at the colleges you are applying for
  • Private scholarships you are eligible for