Federal Student Aid via FAFSA

FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It is the official and primary application form submitted by eligible individuals to the Federal Student Aid.

Whether you’re enrolling in college for the first time or returning to school after a period of time off, you should first apply for federal student aid. Your FAFSA application is used to assess your eligibility for various federal grants as well as work-study programs and loans.

Financial aid programs described below are based on the list provided by FederalStudentAid.ed.gov.

Federal Grants that Require FAFSA

Academic Competitiveness Grants

ACG is awarded to select individuals who are in their freshmen or sophomore year of undergraduate studies and have been proven eligible to receive a federal Pell Grant. The type of secondary school program the individual is enrolled in is considered as well.

Federal Pell Grants

This program depends mostly on the individual's financial needs. Majority of awardees are from low and middle-level income backgrounds. Tuition cost is also considered.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants

FSEOG is only available in select schools and with the amount of available funding varying from one school to another.

Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership and Special LEAP Grant

This grant was designed to provide additional assistance to state funding programs for students with significant financial needs.

National Science & Mathematics Access to Retain Talent

Grantees must be Pell-eligible and are third to fifth year undergraduate students. They must also be enrolled in a science or math-related course or majoring in a foreign language considered paramount to national security.

Teacher Education Assistance for College & Higher Education Grants

Eligible students may already be enrolled or planning to enroll in a teaching course. They are also required to complete a specified term of service in exchange of receiving financial assistance. FSA Loan Programs that Require FAFSA If you do not qualify for any of the grants above, you may still have a chance to receive financial aid through the loan programs listed below.

Direct Loan Program

Loans extended under this program may be provided directly to students or to their parents. They may also be unsubsidized or subsidized and available for students completing undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs. They are, however, only available in select schools and with funds lent by the U.S. Treasury.

Federal Perkins Loans

These loans are also available in select schools only. Students of all years in professional, graduate, and undergraduate may apply for it, however, but eligibility will be mostly based on financial need as well as availability of funds. FSA Work-Study Programs that Require FAFSA

Work-study programs vary depending on the school's available funds and the student's financial needs. Eligible students pay off their tuition by working part-time for the school they are enrolled in.

Though federal grants, loans and work-study differ in eligibility requirements and whether they have to be repaid, the application process for both is essentially the same via FAFSA