Marin Education Fund offers financial aid counseling services for all students and families. Our staff can help you develop a plan to finance college and help you understand the range of grants, scholarships, federal aid, state aid, and loans that are available. Please call us at (415) 459-4240 to schedule an appointment.

Here are some helpful resources:

SCHOLARHIPS AND GRANTS (i.e. FREE money)

How to apply for Federal Student Aid

The first step to financial aid is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Submitting the FAFSA will allow your school to determine your eligibility for all Federal Student Aid programs including the Pell Grant, SMART Grants, Academic Competitiveness Grants and Stafford Loans.

• www.fafsa.ed.gov

How to apply for California State Aid

Need-based grants from the state are available to California residents attending college in the state. To check your eligibility and to apply for these Cal Grants, we recommend that you review the following website:

• www.csac.ca.gov

Scholarship search engines

There are thousands of private scholarships available for students attending college. There are need-based and merit-based scholarships for students with characteristics and talents ranging from being left-handed to being a stellar guitar player. We recommend the following three websites to help you locate private scholarships that you may be eligible for.

• www.fastweb.com
• www.scholarships.com
• apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_ss/welcome.jsp

Institutional Aid

Most colleges have scholarships and grants that are awarded to their students each year. Check with your college’s financial aid office to inquire about any institutional aid they offer. Be sure to review your school’s requirements for applying for financial aid. Many private schools require additional forms to apply for financial aid. Many schools use the College Board’s CSS PROFILE to determine your eligibility for institutional aid. Be sure to verify that your school requires the CSS PROFILE before completing this form.

• profileonline.collegeboard.com/index.jsp

EDUCATION LOANS

Federal Student Loans

Stafford Loans are loans taken by the student. The federal government offers the most favorable conditions for education loans. They offer Subsidized and Unsubsidized Stafford Loans. To read more about Federal Student Loans and to check your eligibility, please review the following website: http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/studentloans.jsp

PLUS Loans are federal loans taken out by the parents. To read more about PLUS Loans, we recommend the following website:

• studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/parentloans.jsp

Private Education Loans

Private education loans are an option for students and families who still need additional funds for college. Private loans offer less favorable conditions than the Federal student loans. To read more about private student loans we recommend the following website:

• www.finaid.org/loans/privateloan.phtml

RESOURCES FOR NON-CITIZENS

Financial aid is generally not available to students without legal immigration status. Most Federal and state aid is only available for U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

California’s AB540 law allows qualified immigrants to pay in-state tuition at California’s public colleges. For more information about AB540 see:

• www.maldef.org/ab540/ab540.cfm

To find scholarships and grants, check MALDEF’s list of scholarships that do not require citizenship:

• www.maldef.org/pdf/Scholarships.pdf

FINANCIAL AID TOOLS

Financial Aid Advice and Planning

To read more advice about financial aid from professionals, we recommend the following websites:

• www.finaid.org/
• www.collegeboard.com/student/pay/index.html

Financial Aid Calculators

The resources on this website can help you estimate how much your family will be expected to contribute to college. You can also get an idea of how much college costs, how much you need to save and how much financial aid your family will need.

• www.finaid.org/calculators/

Questions? Contact us at 415.459.4240, or .