Education
The school's own aid application, which many people never find
A good number of institutions have a second form on top of the federal one, with an earlier deadline and the largest grants behind it.
Institutional aid is the school's own money, and many schools require their own application to be considered for it. That form is frequently due earlier than the federal one, sometimes substantially, and it is not always prominent on the school's website.
Because institutional grants are often the largest non-repaid part of an offer, missing this form can change an offer by more than any other single omission in the process.
Some schools use a third-party service for this and charge a fee per school, with fee waivers available. Others use their own form at no cost. Which applies is a question for each school individually.
The question to ask, of every school on the list, is simply: besides the federal application, is there anything else I need to file to be considered for your own aid, and when is it due?
What to do next. Ask every school on your list whether it has its own aid form and when it closes.
studentaid.gov outranks this page. Rules, figures and dates change
between academic years. This is written to help you read the official sources, not to
stand in front of them. Start there.
Nothing here is a determination. We cannot tell you what you qualify
for, and no website can. The programme and the office that runs it decide that, after
you apply.
Still have a question?
Describe what you are trying to work out and a member of the team will answer, or direct you to the office that makes the decision.