The Complete Guide to Merit Scholarships
Merit-based scholarships help millions of students pay their way through college each year. Designated for high-achieving students, these scholarships are often hard to get and frequently involve intensive application processes. But they also often pay out large awards and sometimes offer non-monetary support as well in the form of mentorship and guidance. If you are… Read More
How Do Student Loans Work? — Interview With Holly Morrow, Senior Vice President of Knowledge, uAspire
TUN sits down with Holly Morrow, the senior vice president of knowledge at uAspire, to discuss how student loans work. TUN: Holly, thanks so much for joining us. MORROW: Thank you. Let’s start with the basics. What is a student loan? Great question. There are basically three types of financial aid that a student can… Read More
How to Write a Financial Aid Appeal Letter — Interview With Megan Walter, Policy Analyst, NASFAA
TUN sits down with Megan Walter, a policy analyst with the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), for tips on how students should write their financial aid appeal letter. TUN: Megan, thanks for joining us. WALTER: Happy to be here. Thanks for having me. So, when is it fair for students to appeal… Read More
How to Pay for College — Interview With Cathy Mueller, Executive Director, Mapping Your Future
TUN sits down with Cathy Mueller, the executive director of Mapping Your Future, for advice on how to pay for college. TUN: Cathy, thanks so much for joining us. MUELLER: Thank you. I know that college sticker prices can be overwhelming. To calm some students’ nerves, do you know if students typically end up paying… Read More
How to Apply for Scholarships
Scholarships are the best type of financial aid. Unlike student loans, scholarships are gifts that you don’t have to pay back. And unlike work-study programs, scholarships don’t require you to spend hours each week working a campus job to get money off of your tuition. There are thousands of scholarships out there that can reduce… Read More
How to Get Grants for College — Interview With Alex Johnston, Assistant Program Director, College Advising Corps at UVA
TUN sits down with Alex Johnston, assistant program director of the College Advising Corps at the University of Virginia, to discuss tips on how to get grants for college. TUN: Alex, thanks so much for joining us. JOHNSTON: Thank you so much for having me. There are so many terms to keep track of. To… Read More
How to Get Scholarships — Interview With Sarah Chomette, eAdviser, College Advising Corps
TUN sits down with Sarah Chomette, an eAdviser with the College Advising Corps, to discuss tips on how to get scholarships for college. TUN: Sarah, thanks so much for joining us. CHOMETTE: Absolutely. Where can students find scholarships? There are multiple locations where you can find scholarships, depending on the type of scholarship that you… Read More
Student Financial Aid: Complete Guide — Interview With Amber Gilsdorf, College Planning Consultant, Estrela Consulting
TUN sits down with Amber Gilsdorf, a college planning consultant with Estrela Consulting, to discuss financial aid tips and advice for students. TUN: Thanks so much for joining us, Amber. GILSDORF: Thank you for having me. Can you explain the different types of financial aid out there? Before I explain the types, the most important… Read More
How to Find and Win Scholarships
With the cost of college at an all-time high, scholarships are a great way to help you afford your education. There are thousands of scholarships out there, and they come in many forms. No matter your GPA, test scores or interests, there’s a scholarship out there for you. Finding and winning scholarships, however, can be… Read More
How to Maximize Your Financial Aid
Looking at college price tags can be a daunting task. But, before you get too worked up, know that the tuition prices you see are likely higher than the amount you’ll actually have to pay. There are a number of ways to receive financial assistance to pay for college. It often comes in the form… Read More
How to Avoid Common FAFSA Errors That Impact Your Financial Aid
To maximize your financial aid for college, you should submit your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form early and accurately. Unfortunately, oftentimes, students either delay their application, miss deadlines, or make common errors in their FAFSA form that prevent their FAFSA from being processed. This could result in your missing out on some… Read More
Am I a Dependent or Independent Student for FAFSA Purposes?
Your dependency status in your completed FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form can impact your financial aid significantly. If you are a dependent student, your parents’ financial information will be taken into consideration. For the 2024-25 school year, the financial aid office will calculate your aid — type of aid and amount —… Read More
FAFSA’s Relationship Status With Your Parents – ‘It’s Complicated’
If you’re applying for financial aid to help you pay for college and you are considered a dependent student in the eyes of the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), you are required to provide your parent’s or parents’ personal and financial information. But it is not always clear as to which parent or… Read More
The Complete Guide to FAFSA
The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is a college student’s gateway to financial aid, be it grants, work-study programs available at your school, federal student loans, or state and school financial aid awards. Current and prospective colleges need a completed FAFSA form to determine a student’s eligibility for various forms of financial aid.… Read More
All You Need to Know About Pell Grants
Pell Grants can be one of the best resources for college students in need of extra money to help pay for their education. These grants are awarded and disbursed by the federal government. Unlike loans, recipients don’t have to pay back Pell Grants. This is, essentially, free money to students who could use some help… Read More
FAQs
Which university is the most generous with financial aid? ›
1. Columbia University in New York City. As stated on its site, Columbia University meets 100% of the demonstrated financial need of its first-year and transfer students. Parents of families who have a combined income of less than $60,000 aren't expected to contribute to the cost of attendance.
What universities are in the financial aid lawsuit? ›The seven universities that remain in the case are the California Institute of Technology, Cornell University, Georgetown University, Johns Hopkins University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Notre Dame and the University of Pennsylvania.
Is financial aid real money? ›Financial aid is money to help pay for college or career school. Grants, work-study, loans, and scholarships help make college or career school affordable.
Does financial aid go on your credit? ›Generally, the only type of financial aid that may affect your credit scores is a student loan, whether it's private, federal subsidized or federal unsubsidized.
What is the most attractive financial aid? ›Grants and scholarships are the most desirable forms of financial aid because they come in the form of free money, often with no strings attached.
Which US university gives 100% scholarships? ›Stanford University offers a scholarship that covers full tuition fees, travel allowance, living allowance, and academic expenses for students interested in enrolling in either a master's or a Ph. D. programme.
What GPA do you lose financial aid? ›The Satisfactory Academic Progress regulations require that you maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) in order to remain eligible for financial aid. This cumulative grade point average is 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.
What 5 elite colleges are accused of? ›Yale, Brown, Columbia, Duke, and Emory have agreed to pay a combined fine of $104.5 million to settle a lawsuit that accused them of limiting students' financial aid to favor wealthy applicants.
What percent of tuition does financial aid cover? ›Federal student aid programs generally cover 40–50% of tuition. Many GIA on-campus students borrow additional funds through either the Parent Loan Program (PLUS) if they are dependents, or through private alternative loans if they are not dependents.
What is the maximum FAFSA aid limit? ›Annual Loan Limits
If you are an undergraduate student, the maximum amount you can borrow each year in Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans ranges from $5,500 to $12,500 per year, depending on what year you are in school and your dependency status.
What is the highest income to qualify for financial aid? ›
There is no set income limit for eligibility to qualify for financial aid through. You'll need to fill out the FAFSA every year to see what you qualify for at your college. It's important to make sure you fill out the FAFSA as quickly as possible once it opens for the following school year.
What happens if I don't use my financial aid? ›If the FAFSA generates an award for school most schools keep anything not directly applied to your fees, tuition, or other school charges in an account in your name. You may withdraw it at any time or apply it to the next term. If you do not claim it they should refund it to any loans after you've left school.
Can financial aid see your bank account? ›Students selected for verification of their FAFSA form may wonder, “Does FAFSA check your bank accounts?” FAFSA does not directly view the student's or parent's bank accounts.
What credit score do I need for FAFSA? ›The federal government does not consider credit scores or credit history when determining what someone is eligible for. The financial aid is decided mainly on financial need and income. You do have to meet some other requirements, such as having a valid Social Security number.
Do you pay back financial aid money? ›You are generally required to repay your student loan, but in certain situations, your loan may be forgiven, canceled, or discharged.
Who provides the biggest source of financial aid? ›Federal Student Aid, a part of the U.S. Department of Education, is the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation. At the office of Federal Student Aid, our more than 1,400 employees help make college education possible for more than 10 million students each year.
Which state gives the most financial aid for college? ›| Rank | State | Average amount of need-based aid per student |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $5,178.83 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $4,286.37 |
| 3 | Washington | $3,481.75 |
| 4 | South Carolina | $3,238.34 |
In 2018, Johns Hopkins University received what is believed to be the largest donation to a college: $1.8 billion. Historically Black college and university (HBCU) Spelman College received the largest donation in HBCU history of $100 million for its 100th naming anniversary.
What university has the most funding? ›The following are lists of institutions of higher education by endowment size. Harvard University, with a $50.9 billion endowment as of 2022, is the wealthiest university in the world.