Financial aid is money given to help pay for post-secondary education either based on need or merit.
The FAFSA is an application submitted annually by current and prospective college students (undergraduate and graduate) in the United States to determine their eligibility for student financial aid. Its primary purpose is to determine eligibility for FEDERAL student aid, while many colleges and scholarships also use the results of your FAFSA to determine student eligibility for their own financial aid.
Generally, there are two types of scholarships: MERIT- and NEED-based.
Merit scholarships are awarded based on academic, athletic, artistic or special-interest merit
Need-based scholarships are determined on a student's level of financial need
This tuition savings program allows students from West Coast states - including Hawaii - to attend a public university/college paying no more than 150% of that institutions in-state/resident tuition.