Learn 10 Ways to Make Paying for College More Affordable

Apply as soon as possible.

The trouble with financial aid is that there is a lot of paperwork involved. Add to it the frequently ambiguous deadlines associated with federal student aid, and you may discover opportunities slipping through the gaps.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is a great way for low-income families to get financial aid. It provides more than $150 billion to students for higher education. As a result, there are always a large number of candidates.

Applying early increases your chances of qualifying for FAFSA. The FAFSA application is famously long and confusing, but the US Department of Education has made many changes to the process, including the elimination of 22 questions to expedite it.

Every year on October 1st, FAFSA applications for the following school year become available. Applying as soon as possible may help you get to the front of the line, making education a lot more affordable experience.

Look for a scholarship.

Scholarships are another important type of financial aid that can help you pay for education and minimize the cost. But you can’t just sit around and hope for a scholarship to come your way. Instead, you must seek them out and apply for them.

Many charities and private organizations provide funding to qualified students. Scholarships are typically awarded based on talent, academic success, or an interest in a specific field of study.

Scholarships are frequently given to specific categories of people. Some scholarships, for example, may be designated for women or persons of color. Typically, you may obtain information about potential scholarships by contacting the financial aid office at the institution you wish to attend or a high school counselor. The US Department of Labor also provides a free scholarship search tool.