It's free
The official form is free and is submitted through the federal government's studentaid.gov website. You should never need to pay to file it.
Funding guide
A walk-through of grants, scholarships, FAFSA, and what college really costs, in plain English.
Bursavo is not a government agency and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education, FAFSA®, or any school, lender, or scholarship provider. We provide general information about education grants, scholarships, and ways to manage college costs. We do not award, offer, or process grants, scholarships, or loans, we do not pass your details to schools, lenders, or other third parties, and we cannot guarantee any grant, scholarship, aid, eligibility, or savings. This guide is general education, not advice. Programs, amounts, eligibility rules, and deadlines change and vary by school, state, and provider, so always confirm current details with the official source.
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The main kinds of college funding
- Grants
- Money for school that usually doesn't need to be paid back. Grants come from federal and state programs, colleges, and private groups, and many are based on financial need.
- Scholarships
- Awards given for things like grades, interests, field of study, community involvement, or background. Every scholarship publishes its own rules, application, and deadline.
- FAFSA®
- The Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Colleges and many states use it to decide on federal, state, and school aid. It is filed with the federal government, not with Bursavo.
- Work-study
- A part-time job program that lets eligible students earn money while enrolled. You're paid as you work, so it isn't a lump sum credited to your account.
- Student loans
- Borrowed money you repay with interest. Federal and private loans work very differently, so read the terms carefully before you accept one.
- Cost of attendance
- The school's estimate of one year's total cost: tuition, fees, housing, food, books, travel, and personal costs. It is usually well above the tuition number alone.
Gift aid vs. borrowing
One distinction that changes the math
Gift aid (grants and most scholarships) generally does not have to be repaid, as long as you meet the program's conditions, such as staying enrolled.
Borrowed money (loans) is repaid with interest. Even a loan with friendly terms adds to what you will pay over time, so it helps to look at gift aid and work opportunities first, then at any remaining gap.
Neither is "right" for everyone. It depends on the school you choose, your family's finances, and how comfortable you are with borrowing.
FAFSA® in brief
What the FAFSA does, and doesn't do
The FAFSA is the federal government's free application for student aid. Bursavo is not affiliated with it.
Schools use it
Many colleges and some states use the FAFSA to consider federal, state, and school aid. Each school then sends its own aid offer.
Dates matter
Federal, state, and school deadlines differ. Check studentaid.gov and each school's financial-aid office for the current year's dates.
Offer in hand?
An aid offer checklist
- Separate grants and scholarships from work-study and loans
- Find the full cost of attendance, including housing, food, books, and transportation
- Subtract gift aid from the full cost to see your net cost
- Check what you must do each year to keep each award
- For any loan, read the interest rate, fees, and repayment terms
- Note every deadline and the documents each one needs
- Ask the school's financial-aid office about anything unclear
Eligibility factors
Why two students get different aid
Every program sets its own rules. These are common factors, not a promise of how any program will treat you.
- Financial need
- Many grants look at your family's finances, usually through the FAFSA or a similar form, alongside what your chosen school costs.
- Grades and talents
- Some scholarships reward academics, test scores, art, athletics, or leadership. Plenty have no academic requirement at all.
- Where you live and study
- States and colleges run their own aid programs with their own rules, so your location and school choice can change what's available.
- Major and background
- Certain awards are aimed at specific fields, careers, communities, or life situations. Each provider spells out who qualifies.
- Staying enrolled
- Aid often requires part-time or full-time enrollment, satisfactory progress, and yearly renewal. Requirements differ by program.
- Dates and paperwork
- A missed deadline or missing document is one of the most common reasons people don't receive aid they might have qualified for. Confirm current dates with the source.
Good questions for a financial-aid office
About the offer
- Which parts of this offer are grants, and which are loans?
- Are any awards renewable, and what do I need to do to keep them?
- What is my estimated net cost for the year?
About next steps
- What deadlines and documents do I need to meet?
- Does the school offer its own grants or scholarships to apply for?
- What happens to my aid if my enrollment or finances change?
Next step
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