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College Financial Aid Information

College Financial Aid Information & Resources

Information below from the BHS Counselors Financial Aid Info Night on October 23, 2025.

What is Financial Aid?

Financial aid is money to help pay for college or career school. Grants, work-study, loans, and scholarships help make college affordable.

Financial Aid is an umbrella term – there are 4 types

  1. Grants: A grant is gift aid that is often based on financial need and does not need to be repaid (unless, for example, you withdraw from school and owe a refund).
  2. Scholarships: Money awarded to students based on academic or other achievements to help pay for education expenses. They can be one-time or renewable. They can be income based or merit based (or both). Scholarship resources include:
  3. Loans: Money you borrow for your education and pay back over time. Unlike grants or work-study, you do have to pay back your loans. You do not have to accept the loans offered to you.
  4. Work-Study: Provides part-time jobs for students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses. These jobs are typically on campus and do not show up the following year as student income on the FAFSA/WASFA.

Sources of Financial Aid

  • Federal: Complete the FAFSA to see if you’re eligible for grants, loans, and/or work study
  • State: Complete the WASFA or the FAFSA to see if you’re eligible forstate aid (WA College Grant, College Bound
    Scholarship)
  • Institutional Aid: Complete the FAFSA, list individual colleges/universities (up to 20) to send it to. Individualschools
    have a financial aid deadline. Be sure to complete your FAFSA by this deadline and any additional forms the school
    requests (e.g. WUE application)
  • Private organizations: Individual scholarship applications

FAFSA/WASFA: Only complete one, not both. Fill out the FAFSA if you are a US citizen or permanent resident to get the most money available to you. Complete the WASFA if you are undocumented or do not qualify for federal financial aid because of immigration status

Additional Financial Aid Resources

Your To-Do List

  • Now: Complete the FAFSA or WASFA
  • November-February: Meet financial aid deadlines for colleges and universities
  • Winter-Spring: Many individual scholarship deadlines; although some are available year round

Financial Aid FAQ

Why should I complete the FAFSA or WASFA? I don’t think I will qualify for aid.

Completing the FAFSA or WASFA should be the first step in accessing financial aid for EVERY student.

  • Most students qualify
  • The FAFSA takes about 20-30 minutes to fill out and is free
  • The FAFSA isn’t just for people who want or need federal student loans. It’s also used to determine aid you won’t have to pay back, like scholarships, grants, and work-study
  • Individual colleges will use your FAFSA/WASFA to determine your financial aid and may give you institutional aid even if you don’t qualify for need based aid
  • Some private scholarships require a FAFSA as part of their application process

How can I get help with completing financial aid forms?

  • Virtual Financial aid filing events to assist students and parents/guardians with completing financial aid forms will be offered throughout the fall. A calendar of these events is available on the WSAC site.
  • See your school counselor. We can help or connect you to a specialist who can help.

How can I find out how my student will pay to attend a specific institution now?

Net price calculators are available on a college’s or university’s website and allow prospectives students to enter information about themselves to find out what students like them paid to attend the institution in the previous year, after taking grants and scholarship aid into account. The US Dept of Education Net Price Calculator Center or look on the institution’s student financial aid website.

What about private scholarships? How do I find them?

Many nonprofit and private organizations offer scholarships to help students pay for college. Different scholarships have different application requirements and due dates, but most common deadlines are in winter/spring of Senior year. Students have the best chances to earn local scholarships because of the smaller applicant pool, though many opportunities are available for local, regional, and national awards.

Note: There are many scholarship search websites. You should not have to pay for a service to find them.

What is Seattle Promise? How could it help me pay for college?

Seattle Promise provides 2 years (or up to 90 credits) of free tuition at the three Seattle Colleges (North Seattle, Seattle Central, South Seattle). All graduating seniors attending Seattle public high schools are eligible regardless of GPA, income, ability, or country of birth.

Seniors must:

  • Complete the Seattle Promise application by February 13, 2026
  • Submit College Admissions Application to North Seattle College, Seattle Central College, and/or South Seattle College by February 13, 2026
  • Complete the FAFSA or WASFA by April 30, 2026
  • Attend a Readiness Academy May/June. Details at on the Seattle Promise website.

As of October 22, 2025