Financial Aid (money to help pay for college when college tuition is more than a family can afford) includes scholarships, grants, loans, work-study and other sources. If you don't need financial aid, skip this information.
To maximize your chances of receiving aid, you have to start early. Grade 11 is the time to begin making a list of colleges. Think BIG. Don’t let location, size, or costs limit you. If you have a dream-school list, that’s great. If it’s in your head, make the list! Write down the names of the schools and their tuition rates. Talk this list over with your parents, now!
If the tuition is more than you afford, one option is to revisit your list of schools and maybe consider less expensive schools! These can be other schools in the same country, other schools in different countries (Canadian schools cost a little less than US school, for example) or two-year colleges, instead of four-year colleges. The Fiske Guide and US News & World Report College Guide, in the ISU library, can help.
But, if your heart is still set on that school and it's more than your family can afford, then start the search for financial aid, now! You will be looking for scholarships, university grants, bank loans, and loans from family or friends.
US citizens attending US universities can try using some of the suggestions you can find here, at Peterson's. Peterson's is one of the most respected collectors and publishers of college and university information available. Peterson's Guide to University Applications is available in the ISU library.
International students attending their home country's universities often find they can attend at no or low cost! But, they must be accepted at their university. Also, most students from EU countries can attend UK schools at the same, or nearly the same low cost as UK students.
International students NOT attending school in their home country, need to communicate clearly with their parents about university choices and the costs of tuition. There is not a lot of financial aid for international students who chose not to study in their home country. Very few schools or countries offer aid to non-national undergraduates. The US offers the most, but it is hard to find. Try some of these tools:
