What is federal student aid?

Financial aid is help for eligible students to pay for educational

expenses at a postsecondary school (e.g., college,

vocational school, graduate school).

There are three categories of federal student aid: grants, work-study

and loans. Federal student aid covers expenses such as tuition and fees, room

and board, books and supplies, and transportation. Aid also can

help pay for a computer and for dependent care. To find a school suitable to students needs it is recommended to use a free service such as Monster Learning.

Who is Eligible for Federal Student Aid?

There are many factors that determine eligibility for federal student aid programs.

Basic eligibility requirements:

• Demonstrate financial need (except for certain loans;

see pages 17–23).

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen* (for most programs)

with a valid Social Security number (SSN).

• Be working toward a degree or certificate in an

eligible program.*

• Show, by one of the following means that you’re qualified to

obtain a postsecondary education:

• Have a high school diploma or a General Educational

Development (GED) certificate.*

• Pass an approved ability-to-benefit* (ATB) test (if you don’t

have a diploma or GED, a school can administer a test to

determine whether you can benefit from the education

offered at that school).

• Meet other standards that your state establishes and that we

have approved.

• Complete a high school education in a homeschool setting

approved under state law.

• Register (if you haven’t already) with the Selective Service, if

you’re a male between the ages of 18 and 25.

• Maintain satisfactory academic progress* once you’re

in school. (See the complete list of eligibility requirements

To receive student financial aid, you need to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) every school year. To find a school or program suitable to your needs, it is recommended for students to use the free College Matching Wizard