US Dept. of Ed.
Financial aid is money available to assist students with the costs of attending college.
Financial aid comes from the federal government, state government, the institution, and from private sources in the form of scholarships. The U.S. Department of Education has a Student Guide which provides greater detail on Federal Student Aid. Other sources of student financial aid information include Cash for College , a guide to student aid programs and application procedures, and The Financial Aid Information Page - a comprehensive, independent and objective guide to student financial aid. The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators sponsors both these pages. Grants and Scholarships are monies you don't have to pay back.