Paying for College
Financial Aid Resources
FAFSA
THE FAFSA IS REQUIRED FOR APPLYING FOR FEDERAL AID. LEARN MORE HERE. FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid Get help paying for college. Check out the new myStudentAid app for iOS and Android. This website includes links to:
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FSA ID
GET ACCESS TO FEDERAL STUDENT AIDS' ONLINE SYSTEMS WITH YOUR FSA ID. Create a New FSA ID The FSA ID allows students and parents to identify themselves electronically to access FSA Web sites. An FSA ID is made up of a username and password and can be used to log into FAFSA on the Web. While you are not required to have an FSA ID to complete and submit a FAFSA on the Web application, it is the fastest way to sign your application and have it processed. It is also the only way to access or correct your information online, or to pre-fill a FAFSA on the Web application with information from your previous year’s FAFSA. See also FAFSA FAQ |
CTT
Chicago GEAR UP College Transition Team. The CTT Team is ready to answer all of your FAFSA questions. Drop in for a virtual meeting. |
FSA - Grants
FINANCIAL AID THAT GENERALLY DOESN'T HAVE TO BE REPAID. Federal Student Aid provides Grants - financial aid that doesn’t have to be repaid (unless, for example, you withdraw from school and owe a refund) |
FSA - Loans
BORROWED MONEY FOR COLLEGE: YOUR LOANS MUST BE REPAID WITH INTEREST. Federal Student Aid provides Loans - borrowed money for college or career school; you must repay your loans, with interest |
FAFSA4caster
ESTIMATE YOU STUDENT AID WITH THE FAFSA4CASTER. If you’re not ready to apply for federal student aid, but you’d like to estimate your aid, try FAFSA4caster. FAFSA4caster is a free financial aid calculator that gives you an early estimate of your eligibility for federal student aid. This information helps families plan ahead for college. FAFSA4caster in Spanish. Click here for more information on the FAFSA4caster. Note: The FAFSA4caster is a PLANNING Tool only. You must use the FAFSA to apply for admission and attend college. |
Illinois Student Assistance Commission Resources
Illinois Student Assistance Commission
ISAC: COMMITTED TO MAKING COLLEGE MORE AFFORDABLE FOR ILLINOIS FAMILIES. ISAC is committed to helping make college more accessible and affordable for Illinois families. Learn about ways to pay for college. This site includes:
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ISAC Student Portal
FIND SCHOLARSHIPS, LEARN ABOUT FINANCIAL AID AND MORE. Use the ISAC Student Portal to help you simplify the financial aid process, learn how to budget your money, and find scholarships. You can also use the portal to choose a college, learn about careers, and more. |
ISAC Calculators
CALCULATORS TO HELP YOU FIGURE OUT YOUR TRUE COLLEGE COSTS. ISAC offers a number of Calculators to help you plan for college.
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Scholarship Resources for Chicago Students
Chicago Star Scholarship
EARN AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE AT CITY COLLEGES OF CHICAGO AT NO COST - FREE TUITION & BOOKS. Chicago Star Scholarship Students who graduate from CPS with a 3.0 GPA who test completion-ready in math and English will be able to pursue an associate degree at City Colleges of Chicago at no cost - free tuition and books. Several universities are offering significant scholarships to students who graduate from the Chicago Star program. Learn more. (Spanish) |
One Million Degrees
THESE SCHOLARS ARE GRADUATING AT ROUGHLY THREE TIMES THE STATE AVERAGE. FIND OUT WHY. One Million Degrees One Million Degrees provides resources to empower low-income, highly motivated community college students with a 2.0 GPA or higher to succeed in school, in work, and in life. The dynamic whole-student approach includes:
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Dual Enrollment & Credit
SAVE ON COLLEGE COSTS BY TAKING FREE COLLEGE CLASSES WHILE STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL. Dual Credit & Enrollment at City Colleges of Chicago |
Financial Aid Information for Special Needs
Financial Opportunities - Disabilities
Financial Opportunities for Students with Disabilities from Best Colleges lists several scholarships for students with disabilities. |
How to Pay for College, NEIU
How to Pay for College Resource - Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) Learn about unique scholarship opportunities for undocumented students, including The Undocumented Student Project Fund and the Aspire Scholarship. 100% of Northeastern’s talent and merit scholarships do not require U.S. citizenship. A total of $1.35 million is available to all qualified students. In addition, 96% of NEIU Foundation scholarships ($115,200) do not require U.S. citizenship. |
College Advising Guide
College Advising Guide for Undocumented Students - 2 and 4 Year College & University Information provides information on over 80 colleges and universities that knowingly admit undocumented students. There is a summary of each institution that includes information on financial aid options for undocumented students. This site through the Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling has additional resources in its College Advising Guide for Undocumented Students. |
Search the U. S. Department of Education Financial Aid Toolkit for tools and resources to help you or your students learn about financial aid for college. Filter resources by file type, audience, topic, and the time of year the resource is most relevant. A resource of the U. S. Department of Education |
Make sure the school that you are interested in attending is accredited. Accreditation: Universities The U. S. Department of Education has compiled a database of accredited institutions. |
College DATA
Collegedata.com - A comprehensive online college toolkit, with an array of resources which include: College Match, Admissions Tracker, Financial Aid Tracker, Scholarship Finder, Net Price Calculator, Compare Your Awards, EFC Calculator |