Financial Aid

Financial aid usually refers to tuition assistance from the government or an academic institution. This "institutional assistance" is usually paid from a college's endowment foundation, and is usually made possible by donations from previous graduates. Government financial aid usually refers to Pell Grants, Stafford Subsidized loans, and other programs that a student can apply for through filing a FAFSA report.

Financial aid is usually dependent to some extent on the student and/or family's income (depending on the student's age and legal status). Students with lower incomes, fewer assets, and higher tuition bills typically get the most financial assistance from the providing sources. Some schools are "need-blind" in admissions but unfortunately that sometimes means that they will accept students who ultimately cannot afford to attend.

In this section you will find free advice for tuition aid through government and university sources. Find out how to apply, when to apply, and why you should apply even if you're pretty sure you won't qualify for the more well-known programs.

John on May 27th, 2012

Understand the different sources and types of financial aid available to college students. Federal aid can take the form of grants or subsidized loans, and institutional financial aid programs will have their own need-based and merit-based policies.

John on May 21st, 2012

Learn about the top five ways to get more money to help with paying for your college and tuition expenses.

John on January 8th, 2012

2012 is here and that means it is time to start thinking about financial aid and funding for the 2012-2013 school year. Learn more about the FAFSA, why it is important, and how you can apply online at no charge today!

Federal financial aid applications for the 2011-2012 academic year are available online, and there is no reason to delay when it comes to completing yours. If you or anyone you know is headed to college in the fall, be sure to familiarize yourself with this application process.

Budget problems in the federal government could soon lead to lower Pell Grant awards for students in college. Several proposals have been floating around in Congress, and every one would freeze or slash spending on these financial aid awards.

John on January 23rd, 2011

Federal financial aid is the best source of free money for college students in the USA. Click here to find out more about how you can apply for free, online.

John on February 7th, 2010

Every year, some individuals and businesses try to profit from uninformed students who don’t know how to get started with their Free Applications for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Fortunately, you don’t need to spend a penny in order to apply for this financial assistance program.

John on January 22nd, 2010

How should students prioritize the process of applying for financial aid, scholarships, and grants? Here is a time frame for helping students put funding opportunities in the right order of importance.

John on January 2nd, 2010

A new year marks a new season for federal financial aid. All college students should spend a bit of time ensuring their FAFSA profiles are up to date for 2010!

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) has often been criticised for inefficiency and redundancy – but thanks to some recent reforms the process may become easier than ever.

Some college scholarships and university endowment funds are sharing troubles with the banks and finance houses that invest money for colleges and provide cash for financial aid opportunities.

John on January 23rd, 2009

Almost a month has passed since federal financial aid applications became available, but it isn’t too late for students to register to complete a FAFSA profile online. But, just because the final deadline is still a few months out doesn’t mean it would be a safe plan to wait much longer before completing the necessary paperwork. In all probability, all of the free federal money will be spent or allocated by the official June deadline date.

John on January 2nd, 2009

2009 FAFSA applications – tips and advice. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is your ticket to free money for college courtesy of the federal government. Click here to learn more about filling for financial aid in 2009

John on November 18th, 2008

It may seem like November 2008 is too early to be planning for 2009-2010 financial aid deadlines, but with increased competition and a busy holiday season coming, it is the perfect time to start taking inventory of the required documents and procedures.

John on August 17th, 2008

Money for college students is in short supply – as a result dorm capacity and financial aid applications are up from last year.

Stanford’s multi-billion dollar endowment will be used to provide free college to students with annual family incomes under $60,000

John on January 27th, 2008

Whatever the economic reason, not every student is going to qualify for federal grants or subsidized loans – But even if you’re absolutely sure that you can’t get federal help, its still worthwhile to take an hour to file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

John on January 20th, 2008

Yale’s financial aid changes will allow lower-income students and middle-class students a better chance of affording tuition.

John on January 13th, 2008

Examining scholarships, grants, and the many different types of college financial aid available for students.

John on January 2nd, 2008

Is college tuition too expensive, or just too confusing? We review a few opinions on the web and help students get the best financial aid assistance they can.

John on December 30th, 2007

Harvard cuts tuition and expands its financial aid assistance, but not everyone is happy about it as secondary effects may spill over into other colleges.

John on December 30th, 2007

College tuition is expensive out of state – make sure to review your choices and consider local, cheaper schools.

John on December 28th, 2007

These are some classic examples of bad ideas students had when it came to paying for college tuition. We don’t recommend the methods described here..

John on December 27th, 2007

How to quickly file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online.

John on December 14th, 2007

Complicated income regulations may mean that your student isn’t eligible for federal financial aid.

John on December 3rd, 2007

Fall is a busy time of year for scholarship applications. Apply early and beat the rush.

John on November 5th, 2007

Hobbies and other interests aren’t just for entertainment, sometimes they can be turned to professional use, or at least help pay for college with scholarships

John on November 5th, 2007

Its never too early to start planning financial aid and paying for college tuition. Even if you aren’t in high school yet, there may be contests you can enter

John on October 6th, 2007

Welcome to Free College Blog! We’ll be exploring different ideas for paying for school. Tuition is rising so financial aid and scholarships are more important than ever