U.S. Department of Education - 1 - www.studentaid.ed.gov 

LOOKING FOR STUDENT AID 

Federal, State, and Other Sources of Information 

SHOULD I PAY SOMEONE TO HELP ME FIND OR APPLY 

FOR STUDENT FINANCIAL AID? 

The quick answer is: Free help is available, whether you're looking 

for sources of student aid or completing the Free Application for 

Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If there's a fee involved, be sure you 

know what you're paying for. 

WHERE CAN I GET FREE INFORMATION ABOUT STUDENT AID? 

The following sources usually have information about aid from the federal government and your 

state government; most can tell you about funds from your local community and private sources 

as well. 

• A college or career school financial aid office. Talk to the financial aid administrator at the 

school you plan to attend. Be sure to ask about "institutional aid"-money the school itself 

awards students. The school's catalog or Web site is also a good source of information about 

aid available at the school. 

• A local or college library. Relevant materials are 

usually listed under "student aid" or "financial aid." If 

you need help, ask the reference librarian. 

• The Internet. Search using the key words "student aid" 

or "financial aid." Remember that many scams operate 

over the Internet, so if an Internet service charges a fee, research it carefully. Better yet, use 

one of the many free Internet search services or aid information sites such as ours! You have 

already located the most comprehensive source of free information on federal student aid-this 

Web site! The Funding section tells you about our programs and how to apply for them, plus 

you can link from there to our free scholarship search. 

• A high school counselor's office. Many counselors have a large selection of materials, know 

what recent graduates have received, and can guide you to free online information. 

WHAT IF I WANT MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT FEDERAL STUDENT 

AID? 

The major source of student financial aid is the U.S. Department of Education. About 70% of the 

student aid that is awarded each year comes from the U.S. Department of Education's programs 

(approximately $73 billion in fiscal year 2005). The Department's aid includes grants, loans, and 

work-study. 
In addition to reading the Funding section of this Web site (see link 

below), you can get free materials from the financial aid office at your 

college, career school, or the guidance counselor's office at your high 

school. These include the FAFSA as well as a print version of Funding 

Education Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid 2006-

07. You can also request copies by calling the Federal Student Aid 

Information Center (FSAIC) toll free at the number below. The FSAIC 

operators can answer your questions about federal student aid and the 

application process. 

Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC): 

1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) 

(TTY 1-800-730-8913) 

Most federal student aid is awarded based on financial need rather than scholastic achievement. 

For instance, most grants are targeted to low-income students. However, you do not have to 

show financial need to receive certain federal student loans. 

You may apply for federal student aid at no cost by filing a paper FAFSA or applying 

electronically with FAFSA on the Web, the online application for federal student aid. All you 

need for FAFSA on the Web is a computer that supports a Department-approved browser. FAFSA 

on the Web is at www.fafsa.ed.gov. 

Who Offers Free Help Completing My FAFSA? 

Various Web sites offer help filing the FAFSA for a fee. These sites are not affiliated with or 

endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education. We urge you not to pay these sites for assistance 

that is provided free elsewhere. You can get free help from the FSAIC, from the financial aid 

ur college, from FAFSA on the Web's online help, or from a U.S. Department 

of Education online guide called Completing the FAFSA at 

administrator at yo

www.studentaid.ed.gov/completefafsa

What About Aid from Other Government Agencies? 

Student aid is also available from other federal agencies, such as the U.S. 

Department of Health & Human Services and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. For links 

to such information, visit www.students.gov

WHO CAN GIVE ME DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT STATE STUDENT AID?

Contact your state education agency (usually located in your state capital). Call the FSAIC or 

click here to get the telephone number for your state agency; this site also has links to state 

agencies' Web sites. 

U.S. Department of Education - 2 - www.studentaid.ed.gov 
WHO ELSE AWARDS AID TO STUDENTS? 

Student aid may also be available from foundations, community organizations, 

and organizations related to your field of interest (for example, the American 

Medical Association or American Bar Association). Contact the organizations 

directly for detailed information. Check with your parents' employers to see 

whether they award scholarships or have tuition payment plans. Although 

funds from these sources make up a small percentage of the total aid awarded 

each year, it's worth doing the research–you never know what you might find. 

CHECKLIST OF FREE SOURCES OF STUDENT FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION 

9 the financial aid office at your college or career school 

9 a high school counselor 

9 the U.S. Department of Education 

9 other federal agencies (including the military, if

appropriate) 

9 your state education agency 

9 the reference section of your school or public library 

9 the Internet

9 foundations, religious organizations, community organizations, local businesses, and 

civic groups 

9 organizations (including professional associations) related to your field of interest 

9 ethnicity-based organizations 

9 your employer or your parents' employers

9 free scholarship search services

Check with all of these sources before considering paying for a scholarship search or other 

financial aid service. 

WHAT IF I'M STILL CURIOUS ABOUT SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH SERVICES? 

A number of privately operated scholarship search services charge fees that can range from $50 

to well over $1,000. It is important to understand what information scholarship search services 

can provide. Some can be helpful in identifying sources of aid for students who meet certain 

criteria, such as academic achievement, religious affiliation, ethnic or racial heritage, artistic 

talents, athletic ability, career plans, or proposed field of study. However, bear in mind that funds 

from these sources are usually limited and not all applicants will receive awards. 

U.S. Department of Education - 3 - www.studentaid.ed.gov 
Listed below are some of the services you might reasonably expect from a private scholarship 

search service. 

• Most scholarship search services provide a list of sources of financial assistance you may 

apply for. After studying the list, you then send a separate application to each source that 

interests you. The scholarship search service does not apply on your behalf or pay any 

additional application fees that may be required. 

• Many search services offer to refund your fee if you do not receive any award. However, 

some services require you to provide a rejection letter from every source on the list to 

claim your refund. You should be aware that many scholarship sources do not routinely 

send rejection letters. Make sure you get the scholarship search service's refund policy in 

writing before paying any money. 

What Are Some Questionable Tactics I Should Watch Out For? 

• Some services will tell you that millions of dollars in student aid go unclaimed every 

year. The large figures you may hear or read about usually represent an estimated 

national total of employee benefits or member benefits. Usually, such benefits are 

available only to the employees (and their families) of a specific company, or to the 

members of a specific union or other organization. 

• Some claim that you can't get the same information anywhere else. Many services 

make you pay to get information you could have received for free from a college 

financial aid office, state education agency, local library, the U.S. Department of 

Education, or the Internet. Remember that you can find out about student aid without 

paying a fee to a search service. 

• Others request your credit card or bank account number to hold student financial 

aid for you. Search services do not, in most cases, provide any awards directly to 

applicants, apply on behalf of applicants, or act as a disbursing agent for financial aid 

providers. You should never give out a credit card or bank account number unless you 

know the company or organization you are giving it to is legitimate. 

• Others try to get you to send them money by claiming that you are a finalist in a 

scholarship contest. Most sources of financial aid have application deadlines and 

eligibility criteria; they do not, generally, operate like a sweepstakes. 

• Scholarship seminars frequently end with one-on-one meetings in which a 

salesperson pressures the student to "buy now or lose out on this opportunity."

Legitimate services don't use such pressure tactics. 

Each year, the U.S. Department of Education receives numerous complaints from students and 

parents who did not receive the information they expected from a search service. The 

Department does not evaluate private scholarship search services. If you decide to use one of 

these services, you should check its reputation by contacting the Better Business Bureau 

(www.bbb.com), a school guidance counselor, or a state attorney general's office. Additionally, 

investigate the organization yourself before making a commitment: 

U.S. Department of Education - 4 - www.studentaid.ed.gov 
• Ask for names of three or four local families who have used its services recently. 

• Ask how many students have used the service and how many of them received 

scholarships as a result. 

• Find out about the service's refund policy. 

• Get everything in writing. 

• Read all the fine print before signing anything.

The Scholarship Fraud Prevention Act created a fraud-awareness partnership between the U.S. 

Department of Education and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). For more information about 

scholarship scams or to report a scam, call the FTC toll free at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-

4357) or go to www.ftc.gov/scholarshipscams

Could you run that by me one more time?

Most of the information private scholarship search services provide can be obtained for free 

elsewhere. Before you pay any company or organization to find student financial aid for you, 

make sure you're not paying for free information. Also make sure you know what you're getting 

for your money. Searching for student aid on your own can prevent you from wasting your 

money. You just need to know where to look. 

To get information on student aid for college or 

career school: 

1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243); 

TTY: 1-800-730-8913 

www.studentaid.ed.gov

www.students.gov 

To get more information about scholarship scams: 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) 

www.ftc.gov/scholarshipscams

To report a scam: 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) 

or to fill out a complaint form online 

To check on complaints against a company: www.bbb.com

To fill out the Free Application for Federal Student 

Aid (FAFSA): 

www.fafsa.ed.gov

To get help completing the FAFSA: 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243); 

TTY: 1-800-730-8913 

www.studentaid.ed.gov/completefafsa

U.S. Department of Education - 5 - www.studentaid.ed.gov