Financial Aid

Throughout your academic and professional career, you may apply to receive financial assistance in order to pay for higher education. As you apply for the FAFSA or to the CA Dream application, you will find that you may be eligible to receive aid through the form of a student loan, grant or federal work study. Below you will find further information as to the various types of aid that you could receive and how to qualify.

Student Loans

A student loan is a specific amount of money borrowed that can be issued from the government or a private entity, that must be paid back with interest. A loan that is borrowed from the government is known as a Federal Student Loan. While some may believe that taking out a student loan is scary and should be avoided, it does not have to be. So long as you are aware of the terms and conditions, the total amount borrowed, and the type of loan you are accepting, you can increase your own financial literacy and feel more confident before accepting your financial aid offer.

Depending upon your status as a student being an Undergraduate or Graduate student, aid based on need, and total annual income, you may be eligible to receive the following loans:

• Subsidized vs. Unsubsidized Loan
• Parent Plus Loan
• Grad Plus Loan

Grants

A grant is a form of financial aid that is offered to students that is considered “free money” or money that you do not have to pay back.

Federal Work Study

A federal work study is an opportunity to earn money while attending school by working on or off-campus and are paid the federal minimum wage, depending on the funds available through their institution. Students eligible to apply for FAFSA that indicate "Yes" of their interest for federal work study on their application, can be considered for a position.

Scholarships

Scholarships are another form of free aid that you can receive that you do not have to pay back. Scholarships can be provided to you by your institution or by independent entities and must be applied to separately from the FAFSA or CA Dream Application. There is also no limit as to how many scholarships students can apply for and the amount offered varies. It can be greatly beneficial to apply to various scholarships and it can be applied towards paying for tuition, books, rent and daily living expenses.

Here are some scholarship resources:

• www.fastweb.com
• www.scholarships.com