Financial Aid

WHAT IS FINANCIAL AID?

Financial aid is money to help pay for college or career school. Aid can come from:

• the U.S. federal government,
• the state where you live,
• the college you attend, or
• a nonprofit or private organization.

Use FAFSA4caster to get an estimate of how much aid you might receive from the U.S. Department of Education.

Federal student aid includes:

• Grants—financial aid that doesn’t have to be repaid (unless, for example, you withdraw from school and owe a refund)
• Loans— borrowed money for college or career school; you must repay your loans, with interest
• Work-Study—a work program through which you earn money to help you pay for school