Need-Based Aid
- Based on your family’s income
- Includes federal programs, state programs, and aid from colleges
- Determined by forms including FAFSA, CSS Profile, and WASFA
Merit Aid
- Based on academics, leadership, involvement, test scores, etc.
- Not based on family income

Other Aid Sources
- Outside scholarships, work-study, tuition waivers for certain groups (e.g., veterans, foster youth)

Cost of Attendance (COA): The total estimated cost to attend for one year (including tuition, fees, room and board, supplies, etc.)

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid): The form for public college financial aid
CSS Profile: The form for private college financial aid
WASFA (Washington Application for State Financial Aid): The form for non-FAFSA eligible WA students (e.g., undocumented or DACA students)
Grants: Money that does not need to be repaid
Scholarships: Awards based on merit or financial need, don’t need to be repaid
Loans: Money that must be repaid, usually with interest
Student Aid Index (SAI): A number from the FAFSA that schools use to determine your family’s financial need (previously “Expected Family Contribution”)

Financial Need = Cost of Attendance (COA) − SAI
Considers taxed and untaxed income, assets, household size, and number of family members in college
A lower SAI means you may qualify for more need-based aid
For divorced parents, SAI is based on the income of the household providing the most financial support to the student
Parents’ savings including 529 Plans don't increase SAI by much so it pays to save
Students' income/savings can increase SAI by a lot

Public:
- Lower tuition for in-state residents
- May offer tuition discounts to some out-of-state students (see WUE section)
- May offer need-based aid and merit aid/scholarships
Private:
- Tuition rates are the same for in-state and out-of-state
- Have a higher “sticker price” but give more financial aid
- May give need-based aid, merit aid, or a combination

These colleges cover 100% of the difference between what your family can pay and the cost of attendance using scholarships and grants (money you won’t need to pay back)
- Students from lower-income families often pay less than they would pay at an in-state public school, and sometimes even attend for free
- Some colleges cover full tuition—or even all costs—for families below a certain income level (e.g., < $125,000)
Check out this list of colleges that meet full need

Non-Citizen Students
- Eligible non-citizens (permanent residents, refugees, asylees, and certain others) can apply for aid via FAFSA and CSS
- May qualify for state aid in Washington (Washington College Grant) and Idaho
- Many private scholarships and college grants are open to eligible non-citizens
Undocumented Students
- Not eligible for federal aid
- In Washington, students (including DACA recipients) apply for state aid with WASFA
- Some private scholarships don’t require citizenship/legal status
- Some private colleges offer substantial aid regardless of immigration status
- This blog shares lots of valuable and up-to-date information about applying for financial aid as an undocumented student

QuestBridge National College Match
- Matches high-achieving, low-income seniors with top colleges that cover full four-year tuition, housing, meals, and other costs
- U.S. students with family income < $65,000 are eligible to apply
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)
- Students can attend participating out-of-state public colleges and universities at a reduced tuition rate (150% of in-state rate or less)
- Over 150 public colleges and universities participate in WUE
- Examples: University of Arizona, Boise State, Oregon State