Allied Health Sciences Scholarships, Fellowships, Grants, & Awards   Tags: fellowships, financial_aid, financial_assistance, grants, scholarships  

New Comprehensive US Government website: Federal Student Aid (studentaid.ed.gov)

  This new website combines information and tools from several of Federal Student Aid’s websites.

Some of the most frequently used or most important links from this comprehensive US Government website are collected here (this guide).  Explore the Federal Student Aid website for additional links and resources. 

NOTE:  Federal Student Aid (Studentaid.ed.gov) website is currently undergoing reorganization.  Please email if you find links that no longer work correctly. 

Federal Student Aid from the U.S. Department of Education is the largest source of aid in America, providing over $150 billion in grants, work-study, and federal loans for students attending four-year colleges or universities, community colleges, and career schools. This page discusses who gets aid, the types of aid available, how to apply, and more!

Recent changes in the law governing the federal student aid programs could impact your financial aid starting July 1, 2012. Here's an overview of the new requirements for the federal student aid programs.

Types of Aid

Aid can come from

• the U.S. federal government: 

 The federal government offers a number of financial aid programs. Besides aid from the U.S. Department of Education, you also might get

• aid for serving in the military or for being the spouse or child of a veteran,

• tax benefits for education,

• an Education Award for community service with AmeriCorps, and/or

• scholarships and loan repayment through the Department of Health and Human Services’ Indian Health Service, National Institutes of Health, and National Health Service Corps (NOTE:  "primary care" for NHSC includes mental and behavioral health providers who are employed or seeking employment at approved sites).

           Federal student aid includes the following:

• Grants—financial aid that doesn’t have to be repaid (unless, for example, you withdraw from school and owe a refund)
• Loans— borrowed money for college or career school; you must repay your loans, with interest
• Work-Study—a work program through which you earn money to help you pay for school

• the state where you live
• Even if you're not eligible for federal aid, you might be eligible for financial aid from your state. Contact your state grant agency for more information.
• the college you attend:  UNC Chapel Hill Funding Resource Links
  
• a nonprofit or private organization
• See Search, $ Resources, and Directories tabs in this guide
  

About Grants & Scholarships

Learn about grants and scholarships at the Federal Student Aid website. 

Finding & Applying for Scholarships

Make sure scholarship information and offers you receive are legitimate, and remember that you don't have to pay to find scholarships or other financial aid.  

On this page of the Federal Student Aid website, learn about free sources of information about scholarships:

• the financial aid office at a college or career school
• a high school or TRIO counselor
• the U.S. Department of Labor’s FREE scholarship search tool
• federal agencies
• your state grant agency
• your library’s reference section
• foundations, religious or community organizations, local businesses, or civic groups
• organizations (including professional associations) related to your field of interest
• ethnicity-based organizations
• your employer or your parents’ employers

Avoid Scams

Before you apply for financial aid, learn how to spot potential fraud, avoid paying for free services, and prevent identity theft.  Learn how to file a complaint. 

Loans:  Learn more here.

If you apply for financial aid, you may be offered loans as part of your school’s financial aid offer. A loan is money you borrow and must pay back with interest.   

If you decide to take out a loan, make sure you understand who is making the loan and the terms and conditions of the loan. Student loans can come from the federal government or from private sources such as a bank or financial institution. Loans made by the federal government, called federal student loans, usually offer borrowers lower interest rates and have more flexible repayment options than loans from banks or other private sources. Learn more about the differences between federal and private student loans.

• Quick comparison charte of all Federal loan programs

• FAFSA4caster:  free financial aid calculator that gives you an early estimate of your eligibility for federal student aid

  StudentLoans.gov Financial Awareness Counseling Tool (FACT)

• About FACT
• FACT at StudentLoans.gov

National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS^®). 

• View your loan information, including the types of Federal Title IV loans and grants you have and your loan servicer.   

Loan Forgiveness Tab on this guide

Loan Repayment & Postponement Tab on this guide

Reduce Education Costs:  Tax Benefits

Barbara Rochen Renner, PhD

Library Liaison for Allied Health Sciences

brrenner@email.unc.edu
Health Sciences Library
CB# 7585, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
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This guide was developed with assistance from the following people:

Susan Swogger, MLIS, Collections Librarian, Health Sciences Library

Kyle Gray, Director of Development, Department of Allied Health Sciences

Brenda Everett Mitchell, Associate Chair for Student Services and AHEC Operations