Financial Aid Calculator

The financial aid process can be very confusing, so it’s important to make sure you understand all of the types of financial aid and which types are the most cost-effective. Before using our Financial Aid Calculator, make sure you read our Paying for College Checklist.

How to Use the Financial Aid Calculator

You will need to have submitted your FAFSA and received your award letter from your school before you can accurately use our financial aid calculator. Use your financial aid award letter to complete our calculator below. If you have received additional financial aid from third party sources, like scholarships, gift money or income from your part-time job, you should also have that information handy to input into the calculator. Click on the various types of financial aid if you want to learn more.

It’s common that your financial aid package is not enough to cover the entire cost of education. If you need to find additional funds to pay for college, start your search in this order:

• Free money – Start looking for scholarships at your school and on the web.
• Federal student loans – Your award letter should tell you about your federal loan awards. There are also federal parent loans that your parents can take out on your behalf, which may not show up on your award letter.
• Private student loans- If free money and federal loans don’t cover your college costs, start researching whether private student loans are the right option to help you cover the gap.

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