Paying for college

Learn how to apply for financial aid, find scholarships, compare loans, and explore other funding options to cover your college costs.

Paying for college

Learn how to apply for financial aid, find scholarships, compare loans, and explore other funding options to cover your college costs.

How to apply for financial aid

1. Understand college cost

2. Apply for aid

3. Research college-specific requirements

4. Apply for scholarships

5. Compare financial aid offers

Understand college cost

Financial aid can help cover the cost of college

The cost of attending college includes more than tuition. You also need to consider expenses like housing, meals, books, transportation, and living expenses. Many students pay less than the college’s published cost of attendance because they receive financial aid.

Learn about college costs and types of aid

WHAT'S INCLUDED IN COLLEGE COST?

Learn about costs to consider when planning for college.

Understand college costs

TYPES OF FINANCIAL AID

Learn about the different types of financial aid, including grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study programs.

See types of financial aid

Calculate college costs

As you decide where to apply, it’s important to consider how much it would cost to attend each college. Net price is the amount you'll actually pay after subtracting grants and scholarships from the total cost.

Tools for estimating cost

NET PRICE CALCULATOR CENTER

Net price calculators can help you estimate the amount that you’ll pay for a single academic year after subtracting financial aid. Use this tool to look up your colleges and find their net price calculators.

Go to the calculators

COLLEGE SCORECARD

Use this tool to estimate the cost of attending college. For each college you're considering, look up their College Scorecard and select the "cost" panel. There, you can refer to the "cost by family income" section to estimate the net price.

Check college costs

Research fee waivers

Many colleges on Common App don’t charge an application fee, though some do. If fees are a barrier, fee waivers can help. You may qualify for a Common App fee waiver, and some colleges also offer their own waivers or free application periods.

COMMON APP FEE WAIVER

You can request a Common App Fee Waiver directly in your Common App. Go to My Common Application and select profile. There you can find the Common App Fee Waiver.

Learn more about fee waivers

Apply for aid

Federal Student Aid

If you're a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-U.S. citizen, completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the first step to getting help paying for college. This free application lets you apply for grants, loans, and work-study funds from the U.S. government. States and colleges also use information from your FAFSA to determine additional aid you may be eligible to receive.

Plan to file the FAFSA for each year you attend college to ensure you receive federal aid. Many colleges and state systems will also use your FAFSA each year to maximize your financial aid package.

This form will open by October 1. Before you start, you need to create a Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID), which allows you to sign and submit your application electronically.

Start your FAFSA

Financial aid resources

FEDERAL STUDENT AID YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Here you’ll find helpful playlists to guide you through completing the FAFSA.

Get FAFSA help on YouTube

UNDERSTANDING THE FAFSA FORM

When you complete the FAFSA, you may be asked to invite additional members of your family to provide their financial information. This resource explains the FAFSA process, including who must provide information and what happens after you submit it.

Learn about the FAFSA form

FAFSA DEADLINES AND RESOURCES BY STATE

States and colleges have different FAFSA deadlines. Check colleges’ financial aid pages for deadlines. Use this resource to find your state FAFSA deadline. Each state also has local resources to help complete the FAFSA.

FEDERAL AID FOR NON-U.S. CITIZENS

Non-U.S. citizens can use this information to determine if they are eligible for federal aid. It also lists other financial aid options for students who are ineligible.

Find out if you qualify

FAFSA CONTRIBUTORS

As you start your FAFSA, you may be asked to invite family members, like a parent, to submit financial information. Family members who complete part of your FAFSA are called contributors. To process your FAFSA, both you and your contributors will need to submit.

Learn more about contributors

STUDENT AID SUMMARY

When you complete your FAFSA, you will get a Student Aid Summary. This will tell you about the aid you’ve been offered from the federal government and include a number called your Student Aid Index. Colleges use this number to determine how much aid you will receive from them. A lower number means you’re eligible for more aid.

Understand your aid summary

SELECTED FOR VERIFICATION?

Some students may be selected for verification. This doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong. It just means you need to provide additional information to confirm the information in your FAFSA. Watch this video to learn what to do if you're selected for verification.

SELECTED FOR VERFICATION?

State financial aid

You may be eligible for state financial aid even if you’re not eligible for federal aid. Find your state grant agency to explore financial aid opportunities provided by your state government.

Research college-specific requirements

College financial aid resources

Each college has different processes for college-specific grants, scholarships, and other financial aid opportunities. Check each college’s financial aid sites to learn about requirements and college-specific deadlines.

CSS Profile

Some colleges may also ask you to complete the CSS Profile. The CSS Profile is an online application for students seeking non-federal financial aid. The application opens on October 1.

CSS PROFILE PARTICIPATION FINDER

Find out which colleges, universities, and scholarship programs require the CSS Profile to award institutional financial aid. This searchable list helps you confirm CSS Profile requirements for the schools you’re applying to.

See participating colleges

STEP-BY-STEP CSS PROFILE GUIDE

Learn how to complete the CSS Profile step by step with clear instructions and a helpful video. This guide explains what information you’ll need and walks you through submitting your CSS Profile so colleges can review you for institutional financial aid.

View CSS Profile steps

Apply for scholarships

First-year students can match with scholarship opportunities in Common App. Learn more about Common App scholarship matching.

In addition, visit each college’s financial aid or scholarship page to find school-specific opportunities.

Scholarship resources

HOW TO FIND SCHOLARSHIPS

Learn how to find and apply for scholarships to help pay for college, including tips for maximizing your chances of receiving funding.

Tips for finding scholarships

EXPLORE SCHOLARSHIPS ON BIGFUTURE

Find scholarships based on education level, academic achievements, or personal interests. You can also find awards for completing steps in the college application process, such as building your college list or submitting applications.

Find scholarships on BigFuture

FIND SCHOLARSHIPS ON CAREERONESTOP

Explore scholarships to help fund your education after high school. Search by state, eligibility, field of study, and personal criteria to find opportunities that match your goals.

Search scholarships

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

eduPASS has compiled a list of scholarships for international students, along with search sites that allow you to filter by international eligibility.

Find International student funding

SCHOLARSHIPS FOR UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS

TheDream.US provides college scholarships for undocumented students (Dreamers) across the U.S., helping them secure funding at partner colleges.

Find scholarships

Compare financial aid offers

After you’ve applied for financial aid, you will receive financial aid offers from each college to which you’ve been admitted. Your offers may include scholarships and grant aid, loans, and work study options. These resources can help you compare offers, request additional aid if needed, and understand loan options.

Comparison tools and calculators
ESTIMATE HOW MUCH YOU'LL OWE
This tool from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can help you understand and compare your financial aid offers.
Plan you financial path
UNDERSTANDING YOUR AID OFFERS
This series of FAQs from BigFuture can help you understand your financial aid offers and plan for next steps.
Understand your financial aid
COLLEGE COST CALCULATOR
Use uAspire’s free College Cost Calculator to compare financial aid offers and estimate the total cost of attending different colleges. Include tuition, indirect expenses, and potential loan repayment to see which schools fit your budget.
Compare college costs
COMPARE COLLEGES AND FINANCIAL AID
DecidED helps students understand and compare college costs by reviewing financial aid offers, affordability, and key school factors, all in one place.
Compare colleges
CHOOSE A LOAN THAT'S RIGHT FOR YOU
This article from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains the different types of student loans and what to consider when taking them out.
Learn how to choose a student loan
FINANCIAL AID APPEAL TOOL
Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible to submit an appeal (or request) to your college to adjust your financial aid package. SwiftStudent can help you understand eligibility and the appeal process, and provide templates to get started.
Appeal your financial aid offer