Funding Your Education
Funds for college are at a historic high, which means that finding money for your degree has never been easier. In 2006 the Department of Education gave more than $60 billion in student loans - a $4 billion increase over 2005 levels. Overall, $82 billion in grants, loans and other assistance are expected to benefit more than 10 million students. Federal Student Aid’s core mission is to ensure that all eligible individuals benefit from federal financial assistance —grants, loans and work-study programs—for education
beyond high school. The programs administered by
the U.S. Department of Education comprise the nation’s largest source of student aid.

There are many options for financial aid and a federal application for aid is FREE at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov.

In addition to federal aid there are other options to support your education. Our free scholarship guide will match you up with many options towards paying for your education. Click here for more.

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Funding Resources
34 Ways to Reduce College Costs The typical cost of attendance includes not just tuition, but room and board, fees for special programs or activities, books, personal items, and traveling to and from college. Here are 34 tips for reducing your college costs.	Sample Award Package Most schools will prepare an "award letter" that will inform you of the types and amount of student aid you will receive at that school. Once you've selected the types of aid you want to receive, that selection is referred to as an "award package."

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College Costs and Cost of Attendance
In 2004-2005, the average in-state full-time tuition and fees per year for an undergraduate at a four-year public university was $10,720. (Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Higher Education General Information Survey.) Typically, community colleges cost less and private schools cost more.

When you apply for federal student aid, the financial aid administrator at your college or career school uses your cost of attendance (COA) in determining how much aid you may receive. The COA is the total amount it will cost a student to go to school-usually expressed as a yearly figure. It's determined using rules established by law.

The COA includes tuition and fees; on-campus room and board (or a housing and food allowance for off-campus students); and allowances for books, supplies, transportation, loan fees, and, if applicable, dependent care; costs related to a disability; and miscellaneous expenses, including an allowance for the rental or purchase of a personal computer.