Paying for college
Learn how to apply for financial aid, find scholarships, compare loans, and explore other funding options to cover your college costs.
Paying for college
Learn how to apply for financial aid, find scholarships, compare loans, and explore other funding options to cover your college costs.
Financial aid can help cover the cost of college
Learn about college costs and types of aid
What's included in college cost?
Learn about costs to consider when planning for college.
Types of financial aid
Learn about the different types of financial aid, including grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study programs.
Calculate college costs
Tools for estimating cost
Net price calculator center
Net price calculators can help you estimate the amount that you’ll pay for a single academic year after subtracting financial aid. Use this tool to look up your colleges and find their net price calculators.
College Scorecard
Use this tool to estimate the cost of attending college. For each college you're considering, look up their College Scorecard and select the "cost" panel. There, you can refer to the "cost by family income" section to estimate the net price.
Research fee waivers
Common App fee waiver
You can request a Common App Fee Waiver directly in your Common App. Go to My Common Application and select profile. You can find the Common App Fee Waiver section there.
Federal Student Aid
Financial aid resources
Federal Student Aid YouTube Channel
Here you’ll find helpful playlists to guide you through completing the FAFSA.
Federal Student Aid Estimator
This tool can help you estimate how much federal aid you may be eligible for before you complete the FAFSA.
Understanding the FAFSA form
When you complete the FAFSA, you may be asked to invite additional members of your family to provide their financial information. This resource explains the FAFSA process, including who must provide information and what happens after submission.
FAFSA deadlines by state
States and colleges have different deadlines. This resource lists the deadline for each state. You can check college deadlines on their financial aid pages. Complete FAFSA before your state and college deadlines to ensure you qualify for financial aid.
FAFSA help resources by state
This article lists local resources by state to help you complete the FAFSA.
Federal aid for non-U.S. citizens
Non-U.S. citizens can use this information to determine if they are eligible for federal aid. It also lists other financial aid options for ineligible students.
State financial aid
College financial aid resources
CSS Profile
CSS profile participation finder
Find out which colleges, universities, and scholarship programs require the CSS Profile to award institutional financial aid. This searchable list helps you confirm CSS Profile requirements for the schools you’re applying to.
Step-by-step CSS Profile guide
Scholarship resources
How to find scholarships
Learn how to find and apply for scholarships to help pay for college, including tips for maximizing your chances of receiving funding.
Explore scholarships on BigFuture
Find scholarships based on education level, academic achievements, or personal interests. You can also find awards for completing steps in the college application process, such as building your college list or submitting applications.
Find scholarships on CareerOneStop
Explore scholarships to help fund your education after high school. Search by state, eligibility, field of study, and personal criteria to find opportunities that match your goals.
Scholarships for international students
eduPASS has compiled a list of scholarships for international students, along with search sites that allow you to filter by international eligibility.
Scholarships for undocumented students
TheDream.US provides college scholarships for undocumented students (Dreamers) across the U.S., helping them secure funding at partner colleges.
Comparison tools and calculators
Estimate how much you'll owe
This tool from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can help you understand and compare your financial aid offers.
Understanding your aid offers
This series of FAQs from BigFuture can help you understand your financial aid offers and plan for next steps.
College cost calculator
Use uAspire’s free College Cost Calculator to compare financial aid offers and estimate the total cost of attending different colleges. Include tuition, indirect expenses, and potential loan repayment to see which schools fit your budget.
Compare colleges and financial aid
DecidED helps students understand and compare college costs by reviewing financial aid offers, affordability, and key school factors, all in one place.
Chose a loan that's right for you
This article from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains the different types of student loans and the considerations to weigh when taking them out.
Financial aid appeal tool
Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible to submit an appeal (or request) to your college to adjust your financial aid package. SwiftStudent can help you understand eligibility and the appeal process, and provide templates to get started.