1. Advanced Career Readiness
Financial Aid Options
When it comes to paying for school, you're not alone. Scholarships, grants, work-study, and low-interest loans help make college or career school more affordable.

2. Financial Aid Money to support a worthy person or cause Types:
Scholarships
Grants
Student Loans
Work-Study programs

3. Types of Financial Aid Scholarship Grant Student Loan
Money awarded to students based on academic or other achievements to help pay for education expenses. Scholarships generally do not have to be repaid.
Grant
Financial aid, often based on financial need, that does not need to be repaid
Student Loan
Money you borrow to help pay for your education that must be repaid with interest.
Work-Study Program
A student aid program that provides part-time employment while you are enrolled in school to help pay your education expenses.

4. Scholarships Scholarships are gifts - they don't need to be repaid.
They may be offered by schools, employers, individuals, private companies, nonprofits, communities, religious groups, and professional and social organizations.
Scholarships may be based on:
Major
Grades
Ethnicity
Family background
Athletic talent
Etc.

5. What kinds of scholarships are available, and how do I get one?
There are thousands of scholarships, from all kinds of organizations.
You might be able to get a scholarship for being a good student, a great basketball player, or a member of a certain church, or because your parent works for a particular company, or for some other reason.

6. Grants Most grants are awarded to students with financial need.
Helps pay for everything from tuition & fees to books & housing
If you are interested in a grants, you have to start by submitting a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
Once you’ve done that, you’ll work with your college or career school to find out how much you can get.
DRAFT

7. What kinds of grants are available?
Federal Pell Grant
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)
Leveraging Education Assistance Partnership (LEAP)
Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS & TOPS Tech)
Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants

8. Federal Pell Grants
A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid.
Federal Pell Grants usually are awarded only to undergraduate students.
The amount of aid you can receive depends on your financial need, the cost of attendance at your school, your status as a full-time or part-time student, and your plans to attend school for a full academic year or less.
You may not receive Federal Pell Grant funds from more than one school at a time.

9. FSEOG
A Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is a grant for undergraduate students with exceptional financial need.
The FSEOG does not need to be repaid.
The FSEOG program is administered directly by the financial aid office at each participating school and is therefore called “campus-based” aid.
Not all schools participate.

10. How much money can I get?
You can receive between $100 and $4,000 a year, depending on your financial need, when you apply, the amount of other aid you get, and the availability of funds at your school.
First Come – First Serve
Each participating school receives a certain amount of FSEOG funds each year from the U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid.
Once the full amount of the school’s FSEOG funds has been awarded to students, no more FSEOG awards can be made for that year.

11. Loans Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program
Under this program, private lenders provided loans to students that were guaranteed by the federal government.
These loans included Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans, Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans, FFEL PLUS Loans, and FFEL Consolidation Loans.
All new federal student loans come directly from the U.S. Department of Education under the Direct Loan Program.

12. How much money can I borrow in federal student loans?
If you are an undergraduate student:
Up to $5,500 per year in Perkins Loans depending on your financial need, the amount of other aid you receive, and the availability of funds at your college or career school.
$5,500 to $12,500 per year in Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans depending on certain factors.

13. Why should I take out federal student loans?
The interest rate on federal student loans is almost always lower than that on private loans—and much lower than that on a credit card!
You don’t need a credit check or a cosigner to get most federal student loans.
You don’t have to begin repaying your federal student loans until after you leave college or drop below half-time.
If you demonstrate financial need, you can qualify to have the government pay your interest while you are in school.
Federal student loans offer flexible repayment plans and options to postpone your loan payments if you’re having trouble making payments.
If you work in certain jobs, you may be eligible to have a portion of your federal student loans forgiven if you meet certain conditions.

14. Work-Study Programs Federal Work-Study Programs…
provides part-time jobs for students with financial need
Allows student to earn money to help pay education expenses while they are attending school
Is administered by participating schools
All money earned goes directly toward tuition and other education expenses

15. What kinds of jobs are there?
Jobs are assigned by your school.
They are frequently on campus.
They are related to your course of study, whenever possible.
Your employer will usually be a private nonprofit organization or a public agency.

16. Grants for Military Students and Families
The Army, Air Force and Naval ROTC, among others, offer full tuition to qualified students in the armed forces.
For those active in the military, programs such as the Army's Spouse Education Assistance Program or the Navy equivalent—the Spouse Tuition Aid Program—are available to married active duty personnel.

17. Basic Eligibility Criteria
Worried you won’t be able to get aid?
Most people are eligible for financial aid for college or career school provided…
You have financial need
You are a U.S. citizen
Enroll in an eligible degree or certificate program at a college or technical school

18. Aid From Your College or Career School
Many colleges offer their own financial aid:
Visit your school’s financial aid page on its website, or ask someone in the financial aid office.
Ask at the department that offers your course of study; they might have a scholarship for students in your major.
Fill out any applications the school requires for its own aid, and meet the deadlines.

19. Don’t let any money go unused!