President Obama is proposing to cut some student aid programs to maintain the maximum Pell Grant at $5,550 in 2011-12 as part of the FY2012 federal budget request. This comes after the House Republican leadership proposed cutting the maximum Pell Grant by $845 on Friday. The Pell Grant program has a $20 billion funding shortfall due to large increases in the ...

Tip 1: Prioritize your efforts, starting with the federal government. Then turn to the private sector for additional assistance. Visit FinAid.org to learn about all your funding opportunities. Tip 2: Learn all you can about the college financial aid process. Be sure to meet your aid administrator and establish a relationship. Tip 3: Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid ...

Congress passed the Budget Control Act of 2011 on Tuesday, August 2, 2011, raising the debt ceiling at the last minute. The debt deal cuts some student loan benefits, especially for graduate and professional students, but avoids a more severe cut in government grants for undergraduate students. The Budget Control Act of 2011 passed the US House of Representatives by a ...

This year more than ever, the economy is making it more difficult for families to pay for college. The number of financial aid applications is up more than 10% over last year. Lenders are suspending loan programs and tightening credit standards. Families are concerned -- really concerned -- about obtaining loans and paying for college. Add in the possibility of job ...

The US House of Representatives passed the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009 (SAFRA) on September 17, 2009 by a party-line vote of 253 to 171. This legislation eliminates the federally-guaranteed student loan program and replaces it with 100% direct lending from the federal government. SAFRA uses the savings to fund an increase in the Pell Grant program among ...

Stephanie Stevenson’s parents always encouraged her to pursue higher education, saying it would not only make her a better person but a better citizen. Stevenson has taken this to heart by achieving high grades at the University of Maryland and plans to gain a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Urban Planning. Today, at a White House Press Conference on Higher Education, ...

Like many nontraditional students, I found the process of returning to school intimidating. Worries hung over my head. How would I pay my bills? Support my family? Pay my tuition? It was those questions that drove me to begin my own scholarship hunt. I used FastWeb, asked friends and kept my eyes open. Yet when I found scholarships I was eligible ...

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, also known as the stimulus bill, includes major increases in student aid funding for the 2009-10 academic year. It includes the largest dollar increase ever in the maximum Pell Grant and significantly expands the Hope Scholarship tax credit. It also increases funding for the Federal Work-Study and AmeriCorps programs. The legislation was signed ...

Euro. Yen. Dollar. Whatever you call it, if you want to study abroad you're going to need it. There are ways to get financial aid to study abroad. Find out how to make your trip overseas more affordable. The Ins and Outs of Aid Eligibility Before you rule out study abroad because of the cost, find out whether you may be ...

The game of chicken being played out in Washington, DC, may have serious consequences for student financial aid as well as the rest of the economy. Congress and the White House are fighting over raising the debt ceiling, which caps the amount the federal government can borrow to pay its bills. The current debt ceiling is set at $14.294 trillion. The ...

Maybe you have a fellowship. Or student loans are helping you out. But even if you're not strapped for cash, you should check out an important part of graduate school funding: research grants. Like a scholarship or fellowship, research grants can help to fund your graduate work. But a research grant offers so much more: an opportunity to further your unique ...

The Obama administration revealed the final design for a standardized financial aid award letter on July 24, 2012. This one-page financial aid "shopping sheet" will provide students and their families with clear and easy to understand information about college costs and financial aid. It will enable families to compare college costs and financial aid offers side by side, helping them make ...

There are many myths about who wins private scholarships and the benefits of winning scholarships. These myths can be harmful if they give students and their families unrealistic expectations about their ability to win scholarships. Some myths cause students to underestimate their eligibility for scholarships, discouraging them from applying for scholarships. Other myths cause students and parents to overestimate their eligibility ...

The US House of Representatives approved the student loan and health care reform legislation on Sunday night, March 21, 2010, by a vote of 220 to 211. No Republicans voted in favor of the legislation. The US Senate is expected to pass the legislation within about a week. The student loan bill will end the federally-guaranteed student loan program, where banks ...

There are many ways in which grandparents can help their grandchildren pay for a college education. These include legacy scholarships and tuition assistance programs, educational awards for volunteering and community service, college savings plans and direct gifts. Scholarships for Grandchildren Very few scholarships are based on a grandparent's affiliations. There are many more awards based on a parent's affiliations. However, sometimes ...

The US House of Representatives is considering legislation to overhaul the federal education loan and grant programs. The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009, nicknamed SAFRA, will increase funding for federal student aid programs and simplify the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. These changes will implement several of President Obama's campaign promises. Switch to 100% Direct Lending Starting ...

With college costs rising, most students need help paying for higher education. And most will rely on more than one source to cover costs. Learn how to put together the pieces of your financial aid package. Grants Grants are awards based on financial need or funds distributed to support a specific project (e.g. research grants). This is free money that doesn't ...

Academic Year: The period in which school is in session - typically September through May. Accrual Date: The date on which interest charges on an educational loan begin to accrue. Adjusted Available Income: The remaining income after taxes and a basic living allowance have been subtracted (in the Federal Methodology). Assets: Cash in checking and savings accounts, trusts, stocks, bonds, other ...

We asked parents to share their advice on the financial aid process, based on their experiences with their children. Here's what they said: "Keep a file folder with each piece of correspondence in it. That way you have a paper trail. Every time a new loan, grant or financial aid comes in, you may receive a revised bill. Also, make sure ...

We asked FastWeb members to pass along their advice on financial aid, based on their personal experiences. Here's what they said: "It is NOT your school's responsibility to keep track of your account, it's yours! If you think that something is not right about your financial aid, check it out. Even if the school's mistake seems to be favoring you, you ...