Financial aid is money that helps you pay for college. By completing the Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application, the school you plan to attend will be able to determine what financial aid you may be eligible for. Completing the FAFSA application is the first step for anyone making college plans. The FAFSA application determines what type of aid you may be eligible for, which includes federal (money from the government), state (money from the state) and institutional (money from the college) funds.
Different types of financial aid have different eligibility criteria. Generally, most grants are need-based and most scholarships are merit-based. Any student who is a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen qualifies for federal student loans.
Financial aid can be a combination of scholarships, grants, loans and work-study.
-Scholarships and grants are "Free Money" that you do not have to repay.
Scholarships
In addition to completing the FAFSA application, scholarships are a good way to help pay for school as they are free money and do not have to be repaid. Scholarships are usually offered to students who meet certain requirements. For example, scholarships may be given to students who have strong academic or athletic skills, who are members of a specific ethnic group or whose parents work for a certain company. We recommend that you visit UTEP's Office of Scholarships for more information regarding UTEP scholarships and any external scholarships.