Financial Aid
Did you know: Almost every year, more than $185 billion in financial aid is available for students like you, to help you pay for college and career school.
In order to pay for college or career school, you will have to apply for financial aid--money, which can come in many forms, and multiple sources to help you pay.
There are three basic sources of financial aid:
In order to pay for college or career school, you will have to apply for financial aid--money, which can come in many forms, and multiple sources to help you pay.
There are three basic sources of financial aid:
- Federal Government and State Government
- Colleges and Universities
- Nonprofit and Private Organizations
Federal Government
The U.S. Department of Education awards about $150 billion a year in grants, work-study funds, and low-interest loans to more than 15 million students. Federal student aid includes:
Learn More: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/
- Grants—financial aid that does not have to be repaid (unless, for example, you withdraw from school and owe a refund)
- Loans— borrowed money for college or career school; you must repay your loans, with interest
- Work-Study—a work program through which you earn money to help you pay for college or career school
- The Federal Work-Study Program emphasizes employment in civic education and work related to your course of study, whenever possible.
Learn More: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/
Maryland State Government
The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) has an extensive array of financial aid programs in the form of grants, scholarships and other awards for students like you who want to further their education after graduating from high school. The MHEC offers merit-based financial aid, which is aid given to students like you who have special talents, skills, or who have earned good grades. MHEC also offers need-based financial aid, which is given to students who demonstrate that they have financial need.
Here are a few scholarships and grants that MHEC has to offer you!
Need-Based Grants:
Legislative Scholarships:
Career/Occupation-Based Grants and Scholarships
Unique Populations:
To learn more about financial aid from the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC), visit: http://www.mhec.state.md.us/financialAid/descriptions.asp
Here are a few scholarships and grants that MHEC has to offer you!
Need-Based Grants:
- Howard P. Rawlings Program of Educational Excellence Awards
- 2+2 Transfer Scholarships
- Part-Time Grant
Legislative Scholarships:
- Delegate Scholarships
- Senatorial Scholarships
Career/Occupation-Based Grants and Scholarships
- Charles W. Riley Firefighter and Ambulance and Rescue Squad Member Scholarship Program
- Maryland Dent-Care Loan Assistance Repayment Program (MDC-LARP)
- Workforce Shortage Student Assistance Grant Program
Unique Populations:
- Tuition Waiver for Foster Care Recipients
- Tuition Waiver for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
- Tuition Waiver for Students with Disabilities
To learn more about financial aid from the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC), visit: http://www.mhec.state.md.us/financialAid/descriptions.asp
College or Career School
Many colleges and career schools offer financial aid from their own funds. To find out what might be available to you:
To obtain financial aid from the college and career school, you may be required to fill out the FAFSA, the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE and/or their application and verification forms.
To learn more about the FAFSA, visit: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa
To learn more about the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE, and the new fee waiver opportunities, visit: https://student.collegeboard.org/css-financial-aid-profile
- Visit your college or career school’s financial aid page on its website. Also, call and/or visit their financial aid office to inquire about financial aid opportunities.
- Ask at the department that offers your course of study; they might have a scholarship for students in the major or career area you are interested in.
- Fill out any applications the college or career school requires for its own aid, and meet all deadlines.
To obtain financial aid from the college and career school, you may be required to fill out the FAFSA, the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE and/or their application and verification forms.
To learn more about the FAFSA, visit: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa
To learn more about the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE, and the new fee waiver opportunities, visit: https://student.collegeboard.org/css-financial-aid-profile
Nonprofit or Private Organization
Many nonprofit and private organizations offer scholarships and grants to help students like you pay for college and career school. Some examples of nonprofit and private organizations are area businesses, sororities, fraternities, faith-based institutions, like churches and other places of worship. Free money from these types of organizations can make a real difference in how affordable your education is after high school. And financial aid from these types of organizations is definitely worth researching and applying for.
Learn more about scholarships by clicking here.
Learn more about scholarships by clicking here.