Financial Aid Application (FAFSA/WASFA)

Free Application for Federal Student Aid is a free form that allows students to apply for federal financial aid, including grants, work-study programs, and loans. Colleges and career schools use the FAFSA form to determine how much financial aid you're eligible to receive. To be eligible for federal student aid, you must be a citizen or eligible noncitizen of the U.S. We encourage all 12th grade students to fill this application out when it opens on October 1st.
Washington Application for State Financial Aid is a free application that Washington State residents can use to apply for state aid and some college aid. People usually fill out the WASFA application if do not have a social security number or citizenship here in the U.S.
Students should only fill out one application, not both.

Grants & Scholarships

Scholarships are financial awards that help students pay for their education. Scholarships do not generally need to be paid back. They can be awarded by schools, employers, individuals, and other organizations.

Scholarships can be based on a variety of criteria, including:

Academic merit: High grades, test scores, and other academic achievements
Financial need: Family income, assets, and other circumstances that impact a student's ability to pay for college
Athletic skill: Exceptional athletic performance
Artistic talent: Artistic accomplishments
Community involvement: Departmental and community involvement
Employment experience: Employment experience
Areas of study: Studying an in-demand field
Ethnicity or group: Students of a specific ethnicity or group

Scholarships can have conditions and restrictions, such as attending an awards ceremony or maintaining a certain GPA. Sometimes if you do not meet the requirements that they set, then can require that you pay back the money.

Work Study

Work-study is a program that helps students earn money to pay for college through part time jobs.

Eligibility: Students with financial need are eligible for work-study.
Job types: Students can apply for jobs that match their interests, skills, and career plans. Work-study jobs can be on or off campus, and can include community service work.
Hours: Students usually work no more than 20 hours a week.
Funding: The federal government partially funds work-study, but not every school participates. Schools that do participate have limited funds to award.
Taxation: Work-study earnings are taxable income. Students should report their work-study earnings on their FAFSA to ensure they don't count towards their financial aid package

Loans

A loan is money you borrow and must pay back with interest. If you apply for financial aid, you may be offered loans as part of your school’s financial aid offer. When you receive a student loan, you are borrowing money to attend a college or career school. You must repay the loan as well as interest that accrues. It is important to understand your repayment options so you can successfully repay your loan.

Subsidized loans: do not accrue interest while you are in school at least half-time or during deferment periods. This is the best type of loan!
Unsubsidized loans: these loans start accruing interest as soon as they are taken out.