This guide explains student financial aid programs the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid (FSA) office administers. " Federal Student Aid at a Glance" is a quick reference; the rest of this document provides more of what you need to know.

Approximately two-thirds of all student financial aid comes from the federal programs you’ll read about here. For additional nonfederal sources of financial aid, talk to the financial aid administrator at the school you plan to attend. Also, visit the library and check out the Internet, in both cases searching under “financial aid” and “student aid.”

Beware of scams and services that will search for financial aid money for you for a fee. A law protects you from this type of fraud (see scholarship scams for more information).

Applying for student aid is free; that’s why the application you use is called the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you need help completing the FAFSA, you can get that help free, too. You don’t have to pay anyone for assistance.