Understand your aid.
Pay for school with less debt.
Explore federal grants, work-study, scholarships and the extra help students can get, and find official resources for your next step.
Program directory
Student aid, at a glance.
Pell Grants, state grants, work-study and loans each come with different rules and deadlines.
- 01
- Support
- The application for most financial aid
- Learn about
- What you need and when to file
- 02
- Support
- Grant aid for undergraduates
- Learn about
- Who qualifies and how it is paid
- 03
- Support
- Extra grant aid at participating schools
- Learn about
- Asking your aid office
- 04
- Support
- Earn money for school costs
- Learn about
- How schools award jobs
- 05
- Support
- Awards from many sources
- Learn about
- Searching safely for free
- 06
- Support
- Grocery benefits for eligible students
- Learn about
- Student rules and exemptions
- 07
- Support
- Help for career and certificate programs
- Learn about
- Our education and training grants hub
Program eligibility and benefits depend on individual circumstances. Check the official guidance.
Getting started
Getting ready for financial aid.
Almost every grant, work-study job and federal loan starts with the FAFSA.
- 1Create your StudentAid.gov accountYou and any required contributors each need an account to sign the FAFSA.
- 2File the FAFSA earlyIt opens in the fall for the next school year, and some aid runs out.
- 3Check state and school deadlinesThey can be earlier than the federal deadline.
- 4Compare your aid offersSeparate grants and scholarships from loans you must repay.
- 5Renew every yearYou file a new FAFSA for each school year.
Common assumptions
College aid myths, checked
- AssumptionMy family earns too much to bother with the FAFSA.What to checkMany state and school awards use the FAFSA too. File it and see your offer.
- AssumptionCollege students can never get SNAP.What to checkStudents have extra rules, but some qualify, for example by working 20 hours a week.
- AssumptionGrants and loans are the same thing.What to checkGrants usually do not need to be repaid. Loans do. Read your aid offer closely.
- AssumptionI only need to file the FAFSA once.What to checkYou file a FAFSA for each school year you want aid.
Common pitfalls
Aid details students often miss
- Missed deadlinesState and school deadlines can come first.
- Paid scholarship servicesFree tools list the same awards. Do not pay to apply.
- Unread aid offersCheck which parts are grants and which are loans.
Frequently asked questions
Student aid questions.
The FAFSA usually opens in the fall before the school year it covers. File as early as you can, because some state and school aid is limited.
Usually not. You may have to repay part of a grant if you withdraw early or change your enrollment. Your school's aid office can explain your situation.
Yes. There is no age limit on federal student aid. Adults can also get training help through American Job Centers and paid apprenticeships.
Some can. Most students enrolled at least half-time must meet an exemption, such as working at least 20 hours a week, taking part in work-study, or caring for a young child. Check the USDA student rules.
Use free tools such as the CareerOneStop Scholarship Finder and your school's aid office. Legitimate scholarships do not charge you to apply.
Work-Study provides part-time jobs for students with financial need, often on campus. Your school decides who receives it, so file the FAFSA early and ask the aid office.
Official sources
StudentAid.gov and state aid links
Independent guide
GrantsHubUSA explains programs and links to official resources. We do not run these programs or process applications.
Read our editorial policyEligibility wizard
Answer a few questions and see which programs are worth a closer look. Only the agency decides eligibility.