Typically, when students think of financial aid, the terms FREE and MONEY come to mind. Generally, this "free" money students speak of is in the form of grants from federal and state governments.

But, financial aid is much more than that. Financial aid is assistance in paying school expenses such as tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies and transportation - assistance that can help you pay for that first or final class needed to walk across that stage.

And, financial aid doesn't always mean that you'll get money you don't have to pay back in some form. Scholarships, for example, are earned and maintained through hard work in the classroom, band hall, or on the field. Student loans are not unlike automobile or mortgage loans - they must be repaid. Additionally, if you qualify and are hired for a work-study position, you earn your award though employment in one or more of the college offices.

The four basic types of financial aid:

Scholarships are made on a competitive basis to students who demonstrate performance and academic excellence. Financial need may or may not be a factor.

Grants are awards of money or remission of charges which require neither repayment at sometime in the future nor service to be per-formed by the recipient.

Loans are sums of money awarded with the stipulation that they are repaid. Repayment of loans is generally deferred as long as the borrower is enrolled for at least a half-time course load of study. Repayment begins six months after the student ceases half-time enrollment. Further information may be obtained by contacting the Student Financial Aid Office.

Work-Studies earn money for specific services they perform which is not subject to repayment at a future date.

What Else?

• Financial aid eligibility requirements
• Documents you may need
• Educational Aide Exemption
• Texas Guaranteed Tuition Plan (formerly the Texas Tomorrow Fund)