Apply for Financial Aid

Find money for college

We know the thought of paying for college can be overwhelming—but your education is one of the best investments you can make. Financial aid can help you cover your costs.

Financial aid falls into one of three categories:

  • Gift aid, which you don’t have to pay back—like scholarships and grants
  • Loans, which you’ll pay back with interest after you leave school
  • Federal Work-Study, in which you earn money through a part-time job on or off campus

Before you apply for aid, make sure you understand the different types and what the requirements of each are. In order to receive most types of aid, you must meet general eligibility requirements determined by the U.S. Department of Education. You must also be enrolled in a degree program or an eligible certificate program.

What to expect

Most types of aid we award are need-based. We calculate your need by subtracting your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) from your cost of attendance (COA).

Cost of attendance (COA)

The COA is our estimate of your educational expenses for the academic year. It includes estimates for tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, transportation, and personal expenses. (If you’re an undergrad attending fewer than 6 hours or a grad student attending fewer than 4 hours, your COA won’t include transportation, room and board, or personal expenses.)

Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

The U.S. Department of Education uses the information you report on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to calculate your EFC. We use your EFC to determine whether you’re eligible for certain types of aid, and if so, how much you can be awarded. (Your EFC doesn’t tell you what you’ll pay for your education, though. In many cases, families contribute more than the EFC to cover all expenses.)

Keep in mind that there’s no guarantee you’ll receive the whole amount you need to cover all of your expenses.

Learn more about how aid is calculated

Ready to start applying for aid?

Take the first step