State Student Financial Assistance Information and Services

When it comes to paying for your education, your state government may be a valuable source of financial assistance.

State provided assistance comes in many different forms, including state-funded scholarships and grants, tuition discounts for specific groups, and state-run student loan programs. These programs can be a huge plus if you're unsure of how to finance your education, but several important aspects of state-provided assistance should be kept in mind.

Eligibility
Each state has its own separate student assistance eligibility requirements, and eligibility requirements within one state may vary greatly from one program to the next. Some assistance programs may be restricted to students who are recent high school graduates or who are physically attending a campus. State assistance programs also often have minimum credit-hour requirements (i.e. 6 hours, half-time, full-time, etc.). Adult and e-learners may, however, be eligible for awards not available to traditional students. Never assume you are ineligible for a state assistance program without checking the requirements first!

Residency
State financial assistance awards are often only available to residents of that state. In addition, they are often only available for use at institutions within that state and cannot be used to attend out-of state institutions. However, some states make out-of-state tuition waivers available to non-residents, which work like scholarships that pay the difference between the in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.

Applying
Each state also has its own specific application process, and some states require separate applications for each assistance program. Some state financial assistance is awarded by schools through information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Other states centrally administer their student assistance programs through state agencies. Always check very carefully to ensure that you apply for all awards for which you are eligible.

Information
If you are already enrolled in an education program, your school's financial aid office is an excellent place to start seeking financial assistance information. Many states have consolidated information on state-provided financial assistance into single locations such as websites or telephone hotlines. Information may also be found through your state's higher education agency or (where available) your state's Mentor website.