College Education Financing - Finding Scholarships, Grants and Loans


by Hilary Basile - Date: 2007-04-13 - Word Count: 395 Share This!

There are several sources of financial aid available for college students. Grants and scholarships are best because the money is generally tax-free and never has to be repaid. Although this sounds promising, obtaining scholarships for college can be challenging. Prospective college students seeking scholarships should conduct research on scholarships available from local businesses, non-profit organizations and foundations, as well as options available from the U.S. government.

Local Businesses

First and foremost, exploring your direct location and surrounding areas would be a good place to start as finding funding and aid in and around your local area is more likely than applying further away or even abroad. Local contacts, businesses, individuals and institutions will typically be your first point of call. It is easier to gain access to and the competition pool is that much smaller. So, in a sense, you are stacking the odds in your favor, making the most of what your local hometown and area has to offer.

Non-profit Organizations and Foundations

Most non-profit organizations and foundations have scholarships for prospective college students. Following are some examples of where scholarship sourcing might come from: labor unions
church
chamber of commerce
volunteer organizations
local chapters of professional societies
charity organizations
school-based endowments
university grants
private scholarship programs
U.S. government (federal, state and local)

You may also find other sources of information on scholarships at a library, in newspapers, or even the yellow pages.

U.S. Government

The U.S. government offers various 'need-based' financial aid packages and options. These funding options and awards occur mostly in the form of Federal Pell grants, Federal SEOG grants, SSIG grants, Federal Work-Study initiatives, Federal Stafford loans (in a subsidized and unsubsidized form), Federal Perkins Loans, and Federal Parent (PLUS) loans. The U.S. Department of Education, as well as the formal body known as the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) funds most of these programs and initiatives. To quality for any of these options, a student must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as FAFSA.

Other options for college education financing and funding include: state-funded grants
loans
work-study programs
tuition waivers and scholarships
individual colleges and universities offering grants
need-based or merit-based scholarships
private alternative educational loan (which is available from most large lending institutions)
foundations and professional associations
endowed scholarships
student financial assistance subsidies

There are several sources of financial aid available for college students in the form of scholarships, grants and loans.


Related Tags: loans, college, scholarships, grants, financial aid, college students, college education financing

Hilary Basile is a writer for MyGuidesUSA.com. At MyGuidesUSA.com (http://www.myguidesusa.com), you will find valuable tips and resources for handling life's major events. Whether you're planning a wedding, buying your first home, anxiously awaiting the birth of a child, contending with a divorce, searching for a new job, or planning for your retirement, you'll find answers to your questions at MyGuidesUSA.com. Find scholarships, grants and financial aid tips and resources for prospective and current college students at http://www.myguidesusa.com/colleges

Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles

© The article above is copyrighted by it's author. You're allowed to distribute this work according to the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs license.
 

Recent articles in this category:



Most viewed articles in this category: