Financial Aid Resources

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financial aid

Financial Aid

For most students, going to college is a rite of passage to adulthood, and for many adults, going back to school offers a chance at promotion and a better career. Yet paying for college has become increasingly difficult. Use the Financial Aid Web Guide to find Web resources that can help you fund your education.

Read a Spanish-language version of this guide.

Financial Aid Resources

To pay for school, you'll need to find money from several different sources, including grants, scholarships and loans. The Web is an excellent place to begin your research on financial aid resources.

Top Financial Aid Resources

The top three places to start …
Federal Student Aid (FSA) is hosted by the U.S. Department of Education and offers comprehensive information on preparing for and paying for college. If it’s your first visit, don't miss How to Use Our Site. The FAQs section is also quite helpful.
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Students.gov is an official U.S. government site for financial aid. You’ll find help calculating the cost of college, comprehensive information on how to meet those costs and access to each state’s financial aid Web site. There’s even a search engine for scholarships and grants.
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FinAid offers help with finding resources and then filling out the paperwork necessary to receive loans, grants and scholarships. A great part of the site is the FastWeb scholarship search engine, which sends you scholarship information based on details you enter.
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For cost calculators …
The College Board's Financial Aid EasyPlanner is a step-by-step tool for budgeting and planning for the cost of college. Each step comes with simple directions and definitions of common terms. When you’re done, you can print a summary of your plan.
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FinAid has a College Cost Projector that lets you plan ahead to see how much it will cost for your child to go to college. Beware: If your kids are young, the cost of their college education might scare you. Read the helpful articles relating to savings, 529 plans, scholarships and more.
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College Scholarships and Grants

The most enticing way to pay for college is to get free money through college scholarships and grants, and work-study. Most schools offer scholarships for academic achievement or excellence in sports. There's also an array of grants and work-study funds available to students that qualify.

Top Sites for College Scholarships and Grants

The San Diego Foundation offers a list of the major national scholarships available. The list is alphabetized for easy searching.
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The College Board offers the most straightforward information about the Pell Grant, which provides more than $5,000 per year in free aid per student.
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The U.S. Department of Education Web site provides information on the Federal Work-Study (FWS) program, a great way to get work experience while helping to pay for your education.
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Student Loan Resources

The federal government offers by far the best student loans for education. The interest rate, servicing and payment options offered by the federal government beat private loans hands down. Unfortunately federal loans are limited and usually only cover the cost of tuition. Use the student loan resources here to find additional help paying for higher education.

Top Sites for Student Loan Resources

For federal loans …
Federal Student Aid provides information on Stafford loans, PLUS loans for parents and PLUS loans for graduate and professional students. 
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StaffordLoan.com offers explanations of the different federal loans available. Use the links provided to begin the application process.
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After you’ve finished your education program …
Federal Student Aid's Direct Loan Servicing center is the place to keep track of your balances, make or defer payments, and enroll in electronic funds transfer. Everything is PIN protected and encrypted for your security. Try the Question Center for additional frequently asked questions and assistance with your PIN.
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Federal Direct Consolidation Loans Information Center offers the best resources for consolidating your loans so that you only make one payment per month.
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