Aid

When it comes to paying for school, you’re not alone. Grants, work-study, and low-interest loans help make college affordable.

Financial aid is available from a variety of sources for college, career school, graduate school, and professional school. The Federal Student Aid Office of the U.S. Department of Education (studentaid.ed.gov) can help.

Financial aid is money to help pay for college or career school. Aid can come from the U.S. federal government, the state where you live, the college you attend or a nonprofit or private organization. Besides financial aid, you also should think about what you can do to lower your costs when you go to college.

The federal government offers a number of financial aid programs. Besides aid from the U.S. Department of Education (discussed below), you also might get: n Aid for serving in the military or for being the spouse or child of a veteran n Tax benefits for education n An Education Award for community service with AmeriCorps n Educational and training vouchers for current and former foster care youth n Scholarships and loan repayment through the Department of Health and Human Services’ Indian Health Service, National Institutes of Health and National Health Service Corps

The U.S. Department of Education awards more than $120 billion a year in grants, work-study funds and low-interest loans to approximately 13 million students. Federal student aid covers such expenses as tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and transportation. Aid also can help pay for other related expenses, such as a computer and dependent care. Thousands of schools across the country participate in the federal student aid programs. Federal student aid includes: n Grants—financial aid that does not have to be repaid (unless, for example, you withdraw from school and owe a refund) n Loans— borrowed money for college or career school; you must repay your loans, with interest n Work-study—a work program through which you earn money to help you pay for school

Aid From the State of Florida

Even if you’re not eligible for federal aid, you might be eligible for financial aid from the state of Florida. The Florida Department of Education Office of Student Financial Assistance website (floridastudentfinancialaid.org) has all the tools you need to apply for financial aid from the state of Florida. The office also administers a variety of postsecondary educational state-funded grants and scholarships, and provides information to students, parents and high school and postsecondary professionals.

All students seeking financial aid should fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This form is used to determine eligibility for most forms of fed-