A variety of options are available to help you pay for college. Check out the options below and contact the financial aid office at the college of your choice.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid

Need financial aid? Your first step is to fill out the FAFSA, which stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Just complete the online form and choose which colleges to send it to. 

Remember to actually apply to the college too. Each college financial aid office determines what kinds, and levels, of financial aid to offer you. Colleges may offer you different options and amounts.

For instructions, visit the 7 Easy Steps to the FAFSA video tutorial.

Financial Aid for Undocumented Students

If you are an undocumented student, please apply for financial aid through the WASFA —which stands for the Washington Application for State Financial Aid â€” rather than the FAFSA.

Apply Right Away

You can submit your FAFSA/WASFA application any time after October 1 for the next school year. Complete your application right away because many aid programs are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Priority deadlines vary from college to college, so check the college's financial aid deadline.

Students must apply for financial aid every year.

Types of Funding

Virtually all colleges and universities will use your FAFSA/WASFA information to award federal, state, and college-funded student aid. Types of funding include:

• Grants â€” do not need to be paid back
• Undocumented Students/DREAMers
• Loans â€” must be repaid
• Work Study
• Scholarships â€” do not need to be paid back
• Workforce transition support — do not need to be paid back. This includes:
  • Opportunity Grant
  • WorkFirst
  • Basic Food Employment and Training (BFET)
  • Worker Retraining

Washington State Opportunity Pathways

A full list of Washington state financial aid programs — which collectively are called "Opportunity Pathways" — is available at the Washington Student Achievement Council's website, Ready. Set. Grad.