Where can I find information about grants to attend college, graduate school, or beyond?

Before seeking foundation grants to help offset the costs of your higher education, you should pursue the following avenues:

• Learn about federal aid opportunities.

• Fill out the online Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to calculate an early estimate of your eligibility.

• Learn about state-level funding from your state's financial aid agency.

• Contact the financial aid office(s) at the school(s) you are considering.

• Explore scholarship sites.

• Ask about scholarships from other organizations in your personal and professional networks, for example:
  • Department office for your academic program
  • Local or regional alumni clubs
  • Community, civic and religious organizations
  • Businesses or corporations that employ you, your parents, or your spouse

You can search for foundation grants with Foundation Grants to Individuals Online, our searchable database of grantmakers that provide support directly to individual grantseekers, including students. To search from your own computer, you can subscribe at our web site, or you can use it for free at Foundation Center libraries and partners.

To start learning now about getting foundation grants, take our free online course, Finding Foundation Support for Your Education, available as a:

• webinar
  (Windows Media Player required)
• interactive tutorial
  (Free registration and Macromedia Flash Player are required)

Selected resources below may also be helpful.

Web Resources

Undergraduate

Federal Student Aid | U.S. Dept of Education
Information on preparing for and funding education beyond high school. Includes online Free Application Form for Student Aid (FAFSA).

FinAid
Comprehensive source of student financial aid information, including useful advice and tools.

GovBenefits
One-stop resource for federal and state benefits and assistance programs. Complete the questionnaire for customized results or browse by category. Includes directories of state resources.

Pay for School | Peterson's
Search for scholarships, federal and state aid, and loans, and learn about getting college-based awards.

Undergraduate Scholarship Search | American Education Services
Provides a free searchable database containing information about scholarships, grants, prizes, and forgivable loans for undergraduate education.

Graduate

Graduate Scholarship Search | American Education Services
Provides a free searchable database containing information about scholarships, grants, prizes, and forgivable loans for graduate school.

Pay for School: An Overview | Peterson's
Includes information about awards, state and federal aid, school-based aid, and loans for graduate school.

Student Aid on the Web | Federal Student Aid
A variety of helpful links for prospective and current graduate students are offered by Federal Student Aid, an office of the U.S. Department of Education.

Books & Articles found through the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature. Check title availability at Foundation Center libraries and Cooperating Collections or through your local library:

Como costear los estudios postsecundarios : guia de programas federales de ayuda estudiantil, 2009-2010 ed.

Annual Register of Grant Support: A Directory of Funding Sources

The Grants Register, 2009

Multiple directories by population group and academic field, edited by Gail Ann Schlachter and David R. Weber

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