Saturday, May 17, 2008

Financial Aid Programs

Financial Aid Programs
Ever wondered how to get through college or university?
Let's face it. Education nowadays is getting very
expensive. It is also not helping that the standard of
living now is very high compared to ten years ago.

Everyone needs an education and everyone deserves an
education however, not everyone can afford one. Thank god
there is something called financial aid. There are many
financial aid programs available nowadays. Even a simple
search on Google can give you so many results.

What is a financial aid program? A financial aid program is
a method to financing. There are many types of financial
aid programs available. You may not know it but this
article will tell you more about it. So, read on.

There are various financial aid programs available. The
most common ones are scholarships, grants and loans.

1) Scholarships

A scholarship is a type of "gift aid" that rewards a
student for grades, athletics, a unique skill, a special
talent, financial needs or even a specific career interest.
Scholarships can come from many different sources, such as
colleges, the government, or different public or private
organizations (such as a workplace, church or
not-for-profit group.) When looking for scholarships, don't
stop with just one search; new scholarships are created all
the time.

2) Grants

A grant is a type of "gift aid" that does not need to be
paid back. The amount awarded is usually based on financial
need and is generally provided by the government or the
college a student plans to attend.

3) Loans

A loan is a type of "self-help" aid that lets an individual
borrow money from the government, banks or other lending
institutions. Since it's "self-help" aid, it must be paid
back with added interest. Loans can be awarded based on
financial need or not on financial need.

There are student loans (which are generally long-term and
have low interest), parent loans (for parents to help pay
for college), alternative loans (from banks and lending
institutions) and consolidation loans (which combine all
eligible student loans for one easy payment with possible
lower interest).

One note of advice; borrow conservatively, accepting only
the amount of money needed. Loans can be a lot of help but
the more money you borrow, the more money you will have to
pay back, with interest.

This is the easiest way to settle your loans or to get
financial help is by getting financial aid programs. Find a
financial aid program that suits your need. One reminder:
only borrow what you need.


----------------------------------------------------
Financial aid can be in different forms and will cater to
different income level. Find out more about Financial Aid
and the various programs by visiting this website ==>
http://www.financialaidonline.net

No comments: