Understand Student Support

Grants and scholarships

Grants and scholarships can meaningfully reduce what you pay. Each comes from a different kind of organization with its own rules, so it helps to know where to look and what to ask.

Federal and state grants

Federal grants such as the Pell Grant are based on financial need from the FAFSA. Many states run their own grant programs with residency and deadline requirements.

Institutional grants

Colleges often award grants from their own budgets. Ask whether these renew automatically each year or require a minimum GPA or credit load.

Scholarships

Scholarships come from schools, foundations, employers, and civic groups. Legitimate scholarships do not charge application fees.

Keep a list of deadlines and required documents.
Reuse strong essays, but tailor each one to the prompt.
Report outside scholarships to your school, since they can affect other aid.

Funding categories at a glance

Category	Type	Where to look
Federal Education Grants	Grant aid	Start with the FAFSA at studentaid.gov and your school's financial aid office.
Institutional Assistance	Grant aid	Read your award letter and the school's published renewal policy.
State Student Aid	Grant aid	Check your state higher education agency website for current deadlines.
Scholarship Funding	Not a grant	Ask your school, local community foundations, and employer programs.
Work-Study Education	Not a grant	Your school's financial aid and student employment offices.
Student Loan Literacy	Not a grant	Review loan terms at studentaid.gov before accepting any amount.