Will You Be Eligible?
If you have the desire to get a postsecondary education, don't let worries about finances discourage you. With a little effort on your part, you'll discover that you have many options. There are all kinds of student financial assistance that may be available to you, plus many ways to save on college costs. You can get financial aid for college because you:
- Are financially qualified to receive it.
- Earn good grades, take hard courses, have special talents or show exceptional promise.
- Are the first in your family to attend college.
- Have talent in sports.
- Plan to major in specific subjects.
- Serve in the military.
- Are unemployed.
- Agree to work in certain high-need locations or professions after graduation.
- Have a special need or a disability.
- Are a resident of your state.
- ...and many other reasons!
Many people assume that they won't qualify for financial aid because their grades are not good enough, they make too much money (or their parents do), or lots of other reasons. But, you won't know for sure unless you try, and applying is free.
Even if you don't qualify at first, if you or your family has suffered a recent change, like unemployment or medical bills, or there is something happening in your life that makes it really difficult, you can ask one of us—a financial aid administrator at your college—to consider your special circumstances.
Related Content
Fundamentals of Student Financial Aid - July 2026
NASFAA Quiz Show: Test Your Financial Aid Knowledge
How to Comment: Participating in the Public Comment Process
Changes to Parent Loans: What New Parent Borrowers Need to Know
Changes to Parent Loans: What Current Parent Borrowers Need to Know
Book Review: “Gen Z, Explained: The Art of Living in a Digital Age”
Student Communication Checklist for Federal Student Aid Changes From the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
Ten Key Messages for Financial Aid Awareness Month
Celebrate and Learn During Financial Aid Awareness Month
Student Aid by the Numbers - FinAidFeb 2026
Book Review: “The Student Debt Crisis: America’s Moral Urgency”
2025 Year in Review: The 10 Most Downloaded “Off The Cuff” Episodes
NASFAA Members Reflect on Opening 2025-26 Advocacy Pipeline Meetings
2025 Year in Review: NASFAA's 10 Most Popular Original Articles
OB3 Loan Changes Planning & Implementation Checklist
Book Review: “Is College Worth It and the Myth of the College Premium”
Impact of 2025 Tax Law Changes on Young Doctors
The College Cost Transparency Initiative Welcomes New Member Institutions
Book Review: “Metrics That Matter: Counting What’s Really Important to College Students”
Meet the New Certified Financial Aid Administrator® Commission Chair, Elizabeth Amador, FAAC®
Financial Aid Day 2025 Social Media Graphics
Basic Needs, Real Costs: Collaborative Care
Cyber Incident Forces Louisiana to Pull Financial Aid Systems Offline
ICYMI: Financial Aid Communication Strategies That Save Time
Basic Needs, Real Costs: Pantries to Policy
Basic Needs, Real Costs: The Price Beyond Tuition
2026-27 Financial Aid Night Toolkit
Financial Aid Night Presentations
ED Rescinds FWS Guidance Concerning Voting Registration Efforts
NASFAA Grad Prof Borrowing Thought Force Develops Advocacy Principles
Tips to Help Students in Unique Situations and Populations
Tip Sheet for Undocumented Students
Building Trust in Aid Offers: Transparency, Public Perception, and the CCT's Impact
Effective Communication Strategies for Financial Aid Administrators in Leadership Roles
Affirming Low-Income Hidden Identities in Higher Education
Prison Education Programs: Resolving the Complicated Questions
Advertisement