Aid from your state and your school

Federal aid is only part of the picture. States and colleges run their own grant and scholarship programs, and each sets its own rules.

State programs

Most states offer grants to residents who attend college in the state. Many use your FAFSA answers, and a few ask for an extra state form. Some programs pay out until the money runs out, so the date you file can matter as much as your income.

Your state’s higher education agency lists its programs and deadlines. The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators keeps a directory of those agencies.

What to do

• Look up your state agency’s deadline the day the FAFSA opens
• Ask each college whether it needs a form beyond the FAFSA
• Get renewal conditions in writing

Money from the college itself

Colleges award their own grants and scholarships, sometimes based on need and sometimes on grades, talent or field of study. Some private colleges ask for the CSS Profile in addition to the FAFSA before they award their own funds.

Ask each school how its own awards are decided and whether you need to do anything beyond applying for admission.

A state grant that pays out first come, first served rewards the people who file early.

Keeping it next year

State and school awards often renew only if you meet conditions: a minimum grade average, a number of credits each year, or continuous enrollment. Ask for those conditions in writing when you accept the award.