Financial Aid Resources
Information to get started can be found at the Financial Aid Toolkit by Federal Student Aid, an office of the US Department of Education.
Useful Websites from the 2015–16 Counselors and Mentors Handbook on Federal Student Aid: A Guide for Those Advising Students About Financial Aid for Higher Education from the US Department of Education. Information was collected in 2014 and may no longer be current.
Sites for Students
StudentAid.gov
Our StudentAid.gov website offers students and their families free information on choosing a career, selecting a school, identifying resources to pay for school, and repaying student loans. Simply worded explanations are supplemented by videos and infographics to clearly present important topics.
Other Student Sites
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®)—The official online application is at www.fafsa.gov.
PIN site—Students can apply for the personal identification number needed to sign the online FAFSA at www.pin.ed.gov.
Federal school codes (to be entered on the FAFSA) can be found at www.fafsa.gov.
College Navigator allows the student to search a database of more than 7,000 colleges and universities by name, location, program, degree offerings, or a combination of criteria. It is at www.nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator.
Education and training for individuals with disabilities—try these sites:
Vocational rehabilitation state agency list at www.ed.gov/svr
Information about disability programs and services nationwide at www.disability.gov
Tax Information for Students—Has federal income tax credit information and other useful information for students at www.irs.gov/individuals/students.
AmeriCorps—Details about a variety of national service options and how students can earn financial awards to be used for education are at www.americorps.gov.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services financial aid for college or professional school is described at www.hhs.gov/grants.
GI Bill benefits—The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers extensive information about education benefits for veterans and their families at www.gibill.va.gov. Benefits detailed at the VA’s site include these programs:
o Montgomery GI Bill–Active Duty
o Montgomery GI Bill–Selected Reserve
o Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (DEA)
o Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)
o Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP)
o Post-9/11 GI Bill
U.S. Army assistance in return for active duty—Visit www.goarmy.com/benefits/education.jsp.
Navy education programs—Visit www.navy.com/benefits/education.
Air Force education programs—Visit www.airforce.com/opportunities/enlisted/education or www.airforce.com/opportunities/officer/education.
Marine Corps education programs—Visit www.marines.com/main/index/quality_citizens/benefit_of_services/education.
State grant agencies—A list is at www.ed.gov/sgt.
Scholarship scam avoidance—A student considering using a for-fee scholarship advice service can research the company on the Better Business Bureau website at www.bbb.org.
Scholarship scam complaints—A student who has been a victim of financial aid fraud should complain to all of the following entities:
o The Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org
o The Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/scholarshipscams
o The U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General at www.ed.gov/misused
o The U.S. Postal Inspection Service Fraud Complaint Unit (if the company’s offer arrived by mail) at http://postalinspectors.uspis.gov
o A state attorney general’s office, which will be listed at www.naag.org
Selective Service System—Draft registration and information about Selective Service is available at www.sss.gov.
Occupational Outlook Handbook—An encyclopedia of careers describing a range of occupations. Students can learn what to expect from a job, including the nature of the work, training needed, and earnings. A free search is at www.bls.gov/ooh. The Spanish version of the handbook is at www.bls.gov/es/ooh.
Sites for Counselors and Mentors
Financial Aid Toolkit—Provides federal student aid information especially for high school counselors and other college access mentors. Offers access to publications, training information, announcements, PowerPoint presentations, and ways to promote federal student aid and college access. Visit the site at FinancialAidToolkit.ed.gov.
FAFSA demonstration site—Allows counselors to increase their own understanding of the FAFSA site and to show it to students and parents before they apply. When you visit the site, you will be prompted for a user name. Enter eddemo. The password is fafsatest. The site is at http://fafsademo.test.ed.gov.
College Affordability and Transparency Center—Includes statistics on schools with the highest and lowest costs, state appropriations for higher education, and for-profit schools receiving more than 90 percent of their revenue from federal student aid. Find this information at collegecost.ed.gov.
FSA COACH is a comprehensive introductory Web-based course that teaches the concepts and procedures involved in managing the federal student aid programs. To access FSA COACH, go to www.ed.gov/fsacoach.
FSAPubs—Provides counselors a single order point for Federal Student Aid publications, offering single or bulk orders. See “Free Informational Materials” on page 41 for more information. FSAPubs is at www.FSAPubs.gov.
TRIO program information—The TRIO programs help prepare disadvantaged students for successful entry into, retention in, and completion of postsecondary education. TRIO information is at www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/trio.
GEAR UP information—Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) is an early-intervention initiative designed to encourage low-income students to have high expectations, stay in school, study hard, and take the right courses to prepare for college. Learn more about GEAR UP at www.ed.gov/gearup.
Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP)—A library of federal student aid information, geared toward college financial aid administrators. High school, TRIO, and GEAR UP counselors who regularly help students apply for aid might find the Federal Student Aid
Handbook particularly useful, especially in finding detailed information about student eligibility criteria. IFAP is at www.ifap.ed.gov.
Sites for Parents
The Parent page at StudentAid.gov links to information on saving for college, borrowing for college, and tax benefits for education. The page is at StudentAid.gov/parent.
The College Savings Plans Network provides a guide to state college savings plans and prepaid tuition programs and their tax implications at www.collegesavings.org.
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute has created a site with sections for high school students, college students, and parents. The parent section is available in both English and Spanish and includes information on planning for the child’s education. Free publications for students and parents can be downloaded at the site: www.chci.org.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides health, safety, and education information for parents of teenage girls at www.girlshealth.gov/parents/parentsfuture.
For tips on teaching their children basic economic principles, parents may visit www.in.gov/dfi/2389.htm.
Useful Websites from the 2015–16 Counselors and Mentors Handbook on Federal Student Aid: A Guide for Those Advising Students About Financial Aid for Higher Education from the US Department of Education. Information was collected in 2014 and may no longer be current.
Sites for Students
StudentAid.gov
Our StudentAid.gov website offers students and their families free information on choosing a career, selecting a school, identifying resources to pay for school, and repaying student loans. Simply worded explanations are supplemented by videos and infographics to clearly present important topics.
Other Student Sites
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®)—The official online application is at www.fafsa.gov.
PIN site—Students can apply for the personal identification number needed to sign the online FAFSA at www.pin.ed.gov.
Federal school codes (to be entered on the FAFSA) can be found at www.fafsa.gov.
College Navigator allows the student to search a database of more than 7,000 colleges and universities by name, location, program, degree offerings, or a combination of criteria. It is at www.nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator.
Education and training for individuals with disabilities—try these sites:
Vocational rehabilitation state agency list at www.ed.gov/svr
Information about disability programs and services nationwide at www.disability.gov
Tax Information for Students—Has federal income tax credit information and other useful information for students at www.irs.gov/individuals/students.
AmeriCorps—Details about a variety of national service options and how students can earn financial awards to be used for education are at www.americorps.gov.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services financial aid for college or professional school is described at www.hhs.gov/grants.
GI Bill benefits—The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs offers extensive information about education benefits for veterans and their families at www.gibill.va.gov. Benefits detailed at the VA’s site include these programs:
o Montgomery GI Bill–Active Duty
o Montgomery GI Bill–Selected Reserve
o Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (DEA)
o Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)
o Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP)
o Post-9/11 GI Bill
U.S. Army assistance in return for active duty—Visit www.goarmy.com/benefits/education.jsp.
Navy education programs—Visit www.navy.com/benefits/education.
Air Force education programs—Visit www.airforce.com/opportunities/enlisted/education or www.airforce.com/opportunities/officer/education.
Marine Corps education programs—Visit www.marines.com/main/index/quality_citizens/benefit_of_services/education.
State grant agencies—A list is at www.ed.gov/sgt.
Scholarship scam avoidance—A student considering using a for-fee scholarship advice service can research the company on the Better Business Bureau website at www.bbb.org.
Scholarship scam complaints—A student who has been a victim of financial aid fraud should complain to all of the following entities:
o The Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org
o The Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/scholarshipscams
o The U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General at www.ed.gov/misused
o The U.S. Postal Inspection Service Fraud Complaint Unit (if the company’s offer arrived by mail) at http://postalinspectors.uspis.gov
o A state attorney general’s office, which will be listed at www.naag.org
Selective Service System—Draft registration and information about Selective Service is available at www.sss.gov.
Occupational Outlook Handbook—An encyclopedia of careers describing a range of occupations. Students can learn what to expect from a job, including the nature of the work, training needed, and earnings. A free search is at www.bls.gov/ooh. The Spanish version of the handbook is at www.bls.gov/es/ooh.
Sites for Counselors and Mentors
Financial Aid Toolkit—Provides federal student aid information especially for high school counselors and other college access mentors. Offers access to publications, training information, announcements, PowerPoint presentations, and ways to promote federal student aid and college access. Visit the site at FinancialAidToolkit.ed.gov.
FAFSA demonstration site—Allows counselors to increase their own understanding of the FAFSA site and to show it to students and parents before they apply. When you visit the site, you will be prompted for a user name. Enter eddemo. The password is fafsatest. The site is at http://fafsademo.test.ed.gov.
College Affordability and Transparency Center—Includes statistics on schools with the highest and lowest costs, state appropriations for higher education, and for-profit schools receiving more than 90 percent of their revenue from federal student aid. Find this information at collegecost.ed.gov.
FSA COACH is a comprehensive introductory Web-based course that teaches the concepts and procedures involved in managing the federal student aid programs. To access FSA COACH, go to www.ed.gov/fsacoach.
FSAPubs—Provides counselors a single order point for Federal Student Aid publications, offering single or bulk orders. See “Free Informational Materials” on page 41 for more information. FSAPubs is at www.FSAPubs.gov.
TRIO program information—The TRIO programs help prepare disadvantaged students for successful entry into, retention in, and completion of postsecondary education. TRIO information is at www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/trio.
GEAR UP information—Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) is an early-intervention initiative designed to encourage low-income students to have high expectations, stay in school, study hard, and take the right courses to prepare for college. Learn more about GEAR UP at www.ed.gov/gearup.
Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP)—A library of federal student aid information, geared toward college financial aid administrators. High school, TRIO, and GEAR UP counselors who regularly help students apply for aid might find the Federal Student Aid
Handbook particularly useful, especially in finding detailed information about student eligibility criteria. IFAP is at www.ifap.ed.gov.
Sites for Parents
The Parent page at StudentAid.gov links to information on saving for college, borrowing for college, and tax benefits for education. The page is at StudentAid.gov/parent.
The College Savings Plans Network provides a guide to state college savings plans and prepaid tuition programs and their tax implications at www.collegesavings.org.
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute has created a site with sections for high school students, college students, and parents. The parent section is available in both English and Spanish and includes information on planning for the child’s education. Free publications for students and parents can be downloaded at the site: www.chci.org.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides health, safety, and education information for parents of teenage girls at www.girlshealth.gov/parents/parentsfuture.
For tips on teaching their children basic economic principles, parents may visit www.in.gov/dfi/2389.htm.