#1 - Always start with U.S. Department of Education's office of Federal Student Aid.  Completing the FAFSA application ensures that all eligible individuals can benefit from federally funded or federally guaranteed financial assistance for education beyond high school.

FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid – http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
Tip:  The FAFSA4caster provides students with an early estimate of their eligibility for federal student financial assistance.
Students considering furthering their education beyond high school can use this FREE tool to:

1. Calculate their eligibility for federal financial aid
2. Reduce the time it will take to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA),

     the qualifying form for all federal financial aid

http://federalstudentaid.ed.gov/fafsa4caster.html

Completing the FAFSA application will determine your eligibility and award you for the following grant programs:

    1)  TEACH Grant –
http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/TEACH.jsp

    2)  Federal Pell Grant -
http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/PellGrants.jsp?tab=funding

    3) Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) - http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/FSEOG.jsp?tab=funding

    4)  Academic Competitiveness Grant -
http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/AcademicGrants.jsp?tab=funding

    5) National Science & Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant ( National SMART Grant ) - http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/SmartGrants.jsp?tab=funding

    6)  Institutional Grants
Colleges provide institutional grants to help make up the difference between college costs and what a family can be expected to contribute through income, savings, loans, and student earnings.

Other institutional grants, known as merit awards or merit scholarships, are awarded on the basis of academic achievement. Some merit awards are offered only to students whose families demonstrate financial need; others are awarded without regard to a family's finances.

Some grants come with special privileges or obligations. You'll want to find out about the types of grants awarded by each college you are considering.

http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/before003a.htm#state_deadlines

                   Tip:  State forms do not replace filling out the FAFSA.  You must fill out the FAFSA to receive
                       federal student aid.  Remember to apply early before State funds run out!

#3 - Scholarships

Another source of aid that can be used to pay for school. It is money for school that you will not be expected to repay. The amount of the scholarship award can range from paying for your books to paying for tuition.

Scholarships can come from a variety of sources, such as; schools, employers, individuals, private companies, nonprofits, religious groups, or professional organizations.

These sources offer scholarships for a wide variety of reasons. Some are offered to students that have financial need. Some scholarships have academic requirements like a certain GPA or enrollment in a particular major. There are athletic, music, and art scholarships. There are scholarships for minorities and first generation students; and some for students with certain community affiliations or religious affiliations.

Because scholarships are offered for different reasons and by many sources, it is important that you understand that each scholarship has its own requirements and deadlines, so you should begin searching for scholarships as soon as possible. You should also know that in most instances you should not have to pay to apply for a scholarship.

*** LivingWell Grants provides the most comprehensive and complete search for scholarships to fit your needs!  We access numerous (membership only) databases to find all the scholarships available for you to pursue.  Don’t waste time… we’ll find all the scholarships that fit your needs so you can get to work applying right away!