Federal & State Grants

In addition to completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to access federal aid, you can qualify for many different grants and scholarships by completing the FAFSA and by referring to your state higher education agency to see what is required to access state aid. In some cases, you might even be eligible for a tuition discount in another state if there is a reciprocity or tuition exchange agreement.

Almost every state education agency has at least one grant or scholarship available to residents, and many have a long list of student aid programs. Eligibility is usually restricted to state residents attending a college in-state, but that's not always the case. There are annual deadlines for most programs (if you miss a deadline, be sure to try again next year).

Check the NASFAA website >> for the most up-to-date resources and links to your state's financial aid programs and be sure to complete the FAFSA by your state's priority deadline.

*If you are undocumented or not an eligible non-citizen, see here for more information about what your state's policies are for state aid >>

Many states have programs that allow residents to attend a university in another state at a discounted rate, without having to pay out-of-state tuition. This can be a great option if you want to attend college out of state!

The requirements that qualify students for these programs at different colleges in different states can vary greatly, so be sure to check with the universities that you're interested in to ask about how exactly you can sign up. Some larger programs include:

Southern Region

• The Southern Regional Education Board Academic Common Market provides tuition discounts for more than 1900 academic programs in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
• The Regional Contract Program enables students in Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina to pursue a professional health degree at out-of-state institutions, but pay in-state tuition at public institutions or reduced tuition at private institutions.

Midwestern Region

• Students from Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wisconsin may be eligible for tuition reductions at certain Midwest public and private schools through the Midwest Student Exchange.

Western Region

• The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education offers the Western Undergraduate Exchange for students in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
• The Western Regional Graduate Program enables residents to enroll in available graduate programs outside of their home state at resident tuition rates.
• The Professional Student Exchange Program enables students majoring in the health care professions to enroll in selected out-of-state professional programs.

New England

• The New England Regional Student Program enables students in CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, or VT to enroll at out-of-state New England public colleges and universities at a discount. Students are eligible when they enroll in an approved major that is not offered by the public colleges and universities in their home-state.

Source: https://www.nasfaa.org/State_Regional_Tuition_Exchanges