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Financial Aid
Everything you need to know about paying for college: FAFSA, CSS Profile, federal aid, merit scholarships, and the timeline that maximizes your award.
The most important rule
Compare net prices, not sticker prices. Many top private colleges are cheaper for low-income families than your in-state public flagship. Run every school's net price calculator (federally required, on every financial aid page) before you decide anything.
October 1 of senior year
File the same week. Many state grants and some institutional aid are first-come-first-served. Required for federal Pell Grants, federal loans, and work-study.
Official siteOctober 1 of senior year
Required by ~250 selective private colleges (most Ivies, top liberal arts) for institutional aid. File before any application deadline. $25/school, automatically waived under ~$100K family income.
Official siteMid-November to mid-December
If admitted ED with unaffordable aid, you can break the binding agreement on financial-need grounds. Read the package carefully before celebrating.
January 1–15
Many states have separate aid applications (Cal Grant, TAP, etc.). Check your state's deadline — some are earlier than the FAFSA federal deadline.
March 1
Cal Grant (California), TAP (New York), and several others. Missing this deadline can cost you $5K-$10K in state aid.
Late March – early April
Compare net prices (what you pay) — never sticker prices. Use schools' net price calculators to verify packages match what was promised.
May 1
Submit enrollment deposit at your chosen school. Decline other offers in writing.
| Aid type | Category | Amount | Repays? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pell Grant | Federal need-based grant | Up to $7,395/year (2025-26) | No | Family income roughly under $60K |
| Federal Direct Subsidized Loan | Federal need-based loan | $3,500–$5,500/year (caps) | Yes, no interest while in school | Most students with demonstrated need |
| Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan | Federal loan, not need-based | $5,500–$12,500/year (caps) | Yes, interest accrues immediately | Students whose need isn't fully met |
| Federal Work-Study | Need-based campus job | Typically $2K–$4K/year | Earnings are wages, not loans | Students who can balance ~10 hr/wk work |
| Institutional Need-Based Grant | School-funded grant | Varies — up to full need at top schools | No | Anyone with demonstrated need at meets-full-need schools |
| Merit Scholarship | School-funded, performance-based | $1K to full tuition | No | Strong applicants below the school's median (you'd be in the top quartile) |
| Outside / Private Scholarships | Awarded by external orgs | $500 to full ride | No | Targeted scholarships matching your background, interests, or geography |
| Parent PLUS Loan | Federal loan to parents | Up to cost of attendance | Yes, parents are borrower | Last resort for families covering remaining cost |
These schools don't consider your financial need when admitting you AND meet 100% of demonstrated need with grants (no loans required). For low- and middle-income applicants, these are often the cheapest options after aid.
Note: These policies apply to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. International applicants face different (typically need-aware) policies at most schools, with a few exceptions (Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Yale, Amherst).
Scholarship Finder
Filter the scholarship catalog by profile fields, then verify current eligibility, deadlines, and award amounts with each provider.
Find scholarshipsNet Price Estimator
See estimated real cost at 24 top colleges based on your family income. Need-blind badges included.
Estimate net price