Education and Retirement Savings Accounts allow penalty-free IRA withdrawals for undergraduate and graduate programs and postsecondary vocational programs. In addition to these federal sources of financial aid, many students receive financial assistance from non-federal aid sources. Other Sources Grants from colleges themselves are available at most private and many public colleges. These awards are made on both a need and non-need basis. Need based awards at private colleges can dramatically reduce or even eliminate the price difference between the public and private sectors of higher education.
Many states have their own state grant programs.
The nature of these programs varies. Some states offer need based grants for students attending public colleges only. These grants often help offset relatively high public tuition levels. Other states make grant funds available to state residents attending private colleges within their boundaries. These criteria could range from outstanding citizenship activities while in high school to being the child of an organization's member.