Eligibility for federal student aid programs is based on financial need and several other factors. Your eligibility is determined by the information you provide on the FAFSA.
Basic eligibility requirements:
- Demonstrate financial need.
- Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen with a valid Social Security number (SSN).
- Be working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program.
- Show, by one of the following means, that you’re qualified to obtain a post-secondary education:
- Have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) Certificate.
- Pass an approved ability-to-benefit (ATB) test (if you don’t have a diploma or GED, a school can administer a test to determine whether you can benefit from the education offered at that school).
- Meet other standards your state establishes that we have approved.
- Complete a high school education in a home school setting approved under state law.
- Register (if you haven’t already) with the Selective Service, if you’re a male between the ages of 18 and 25.
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress once in school.
There are three categories of federal student aid: grants, work- study and loans. See the chart on the following page for an overview of these programs. Check with your school to find out which programs your school participates in.
