How to Apply for Financial Aid

Follow these steps to apply for financial aid in order to pay for college tuition and fees associated with attendance.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Driver's License
• Social Security Number
• Tax Forms
• List of prospective schools

1. First and foremost, fill out a free federal aid application online at: www.fafsa.ed.gov. Make sure to have your personal information (driver's license, social security number, income tax forms, etc.)handy to complete the application correctly.

2. Once you have complete the FAFSA application, follow up with the financial aid office of each college you plan to attend and confirm the receipt of your application. In some cases, you may be required to submit supporting documents directly to the financial aid office in order for your application to be reviewed and/or approved.

3. Contact the financial advisor at your prospective university for a list of institutional scholarships that can help fund the cost of attendance. In addition to federal aid, several institutions offer financial assistance in the form of work study, tuition reimbursement, and private scholarships. Obtain a list of available scholarships either in person or online.

4. After you have reviewed the available scholarships and financial aid opportunities within your chosen institution, apply for additional assistance using a scholarship search engine such as FastWeb (www.fastweb.com) or Collegeboard (www.collegeboard.com). These sites offer excellent resources in college planning and preparation.

Tips & Warnings

• Register for a FastWeb account to receive notices about matching scholarships and internships tailored to meet your interests.
• Find out if your current or future employer is a participant in the Tuition Reimbursement Program.

[dtwelloh]

on 2/12/2009 Good advice, well written article. Give it 5 stars and a recommendation.

[melissamunoz]

on 2/12/2009 thanks!

[javanx3d]

on 2/12/2009 Welcome and good job on your first article!