Financial Aid

Financial Aid Puts Higher Education Within Reach

Getting into college is only half the battle of getting to college. You still need to pay for it. And if you don't have 100% of the cost covered between savings and your family's contribution, then you should know your college financial aid options. Financial aid makes paying for college easier for many families. And with the cost of higher education rising much faster than the rate of inflation, more and more students are relying on some sort of financial aid including loans, grants, and work study programs to help bridge the gap between what college costs and what their families can contribute. Use Student Finance Domain to get the information you need.

Financial aid is simply money to pay for college from sources other than your savings or your family's contribution. It can come in many forms and is certainly not only for those students who demonstrate a financial need.

Before you apply for financial aid you should know the facts about financial aid, financial aid eligibility requirements and figure out how much money you'll need. Be sure to factor in all of the expenses you'll incur over and above tuition and room & board. This includes costs for books and supplies, transportation, utilities, and other living expenses. There are many student financial aid calculators available online to help you figure this out. From there you just need to apply for it.

The process of applying for financial aid is not as complicated as you'd think. In fact since most colleges use the federal government's FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form to help them calculate and distribute aid to students, many times it's actually pretty simple. You just need to be aware of common FAFSA application errors and take your time when completing the form.

The basic types of college financial aid available can be broken down broadly into the following categories:

• Scholarships: Free money that does not need to be paid back. Scholarships can be need or non-need based and can come from a variety of sources, such as the government, a school, or a professional or recreational organization. Scholarships are many times awarded to students with achievements in academics, athletics or other school activities.
• Student loans: Money that is borrowed and must be paid back with interest. A number of student loan varieties exist including those administered by the federal government like the Stafford and PLUS loans, to private loans available through banks and other lenders.
• Grants: Free money that is need-based and does not need to be paid back. Grants can be federally funded, or they can come from a school.
• Non-Loan Options: A number of other options exist to help you pay for college, including the U.S. military's ROTC program where students receive money for college in exchange for military service, and federal work-study where students work in exchange for funds to pay for college.

College financial aid is available for those students who look for it. Student Finance Domain can help you fully understand the process and take advantage of every resource you're entitled to, , and we can help you understand the benefits of federal aid.

The process of applying for financial aid is not as complicated as you might think. In fact when you realize the return you can get from a small investment of your time, it's no trouble at all. For most students one or two financial aid forms will have you well on your way to comparing your college financial aid award letters.

There are many types of financial aid to help you get to college. Some aid is purely based on need. This consists mostly of grants and certain federal loans like the Perkins Loan or the Subsidized Stafford Loan. Other aid isn't based on need. These scholarships, other federal loans like the Unsubsidized Stafford Loan or PLUS Loan and private or alternative loans are available to almost anyone. Regardless of your financial situation, it's in your interest to apply for financial aid.

In order to receive financial aid you need to apply for it. For many students submitting the government's FAFSA form will be enough. Others may also need to submit a CSS PROFILE and/or individual college forms as well. The only way to know for sure is to contact the schools you are applying to.

What's better than money for college? How about free money for college that doesn't need to be paid back? That's what scholarships are and there might be one out there with your name on it. Scholarships are available from a number of different sources including colleges themselves, the federal government, state governments, and professional or recreational organizations. Find out how to uncover the scholarships meant for you.

Grants are another way to get free funding for college. They are awarded based on your financial need, your race or gender, any organizations you may belong to, or any other type of need-based feature. Just like scholarships, grants don’t have to be paid back, and there are hundreds of government college grants out there that can help you cover your college expenses.

There are literally thousands of students who did not go to college simply because they didn't know how to pay for tuition. By learning the facts about financial aid you can discover that there are many different sources available to help you start your college career.