Family guide
Paying for college
When to do what
Step 1: Grades 9–10
Explore careers, take challenging classes, and ask about earning college credit in high school.
Step 2: Grade 11
Research schools and training programs, and start a list of scholarships and their deadlines.
Step 3: Grade 12
Fill out the FAFSA, apply to schools and scholarships, and compare aid offers.
Step 4: Every year in school
Fill out the FAFSA again and keep checking for new scholarships.
Step by step
Understand the kinds of aid
Grants and scholarships usually don't need to be repaid. Work-study lets students earn money through a part-time job. Loans must be repaid with interest. Aid can also help with community college and many career-training programs.
- Read StudentAid.gov's overview of grants.
- Use free money (grants and scholarships) first, then work-study, then loans only if needed.
Fill out the FAFSA
The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the form for federal grants, work-study, and loans. Many states and colleges use it for their own aid too.
- Create StudentAid.gov accounts for the student and, usually, a parent.
- Fill out the FAFSA only on StudentAid.gov. It is free — never pay a website to file it.
- Answer every question honestly. False information can lead to penalties.
- Note your state's and each school's deadlines — they can be earlier than the federal one.
Learn about Pell Grants
Pell Grants are federal grants for many undergraduate students with financial need. They usually don't need to be repaid. The FAFSA is how a student is considered.
- Read the official Pell Grant page for current rules and amounts.
- Ask the school's financial aid office how Pell Grants fit into your aid offer.
Search for scholarships
Scholarships come from colleges, states, employers, community groups, and foundations. Many smaller local scholarships get fewer applicants.
- Use the free CareerOneStop Scholarship Finder from the U.S. Department of Labor.
- Ask the high school counselor and the college's financial aid office.
- Check with your employer, place of worship, and community or cultural groups.
Earn money with work-study
Federal Work-Study provides part-time jobs for many students with financial need, often on campus or with community organizations.
- Check the work-study box on the FAFSA if interested.
- Ask the school's financial aid office how to find work-study jobs.
Borrow carefully, if you need to
Loans must be repaid. Federal student loans usually have more protections than private loans.
- Read StudentAid.gov's loan pages before borrowing.
- Borrow only what is needed after grants and scholarships.
Avoid financial aid and scholarship scams
Scammers charge fees for things that are free, or promise "guaranteed" scholarships to steal money and personal information.
- Never pay to fill out the FAFSA or to apply for a scholarship.
- Be suspicious of "you've been selected" messages for scholarships you never applied for.
- Never give out bank details or a StudentAid.gov password.
The truth about "free government grants"
The federal government does not give grants to individuals for personal needs such as bills or living expenses. Government grants usually go to organizations — such as states, schools, and nonprofits — for a specific purpose.
For school, real grants come through the FAFSA, your state, and the college itself.