There are many resources available to assist you in paying for your postsecondary education.  When you decide to attend college there are many other expenses you need to consider other than only tuition such as:

1. Housing (dorm or apartment)
2. Books
3. Transportation
4. Meals
5. Campus Activities

1. Grants and Scholarships which do not have to be repaid.
2. Money borrowed to cover school expenses and must be repaid with interest monthly after you graduate or withdraw from college.
3. Employment which allows a student to earn some of their college expenses.

Federal Student Aid Programs
Box 84
Washington, D.C. 20044
(800-433-3243 or 800-730-8913 TDD)

Some colleges and other entities may also offer aid that is merit-based, which means that funds are provided to students without regard to financial need, if certain conditions (such as high grades) are met.  The financial aid office at your school is a good resource for locating merit-based financial aid information.  This office can also give you information about the availability of financial aid provided through the State of Louisiana.  It is important to apply for financial aid early and make sure that the information you write on the forms is accurate.  It is important to note that students served by Vocational Rehabilitation are required to apply for student financial aid under the guidelines of the Vocational Rehabilitation/Financial Aid Cooperative Agreement.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is another program in which you might qualify for financial assistance.  It is a Federal program set up to provide financial assistance to persons who are aged, blind and disabled who have little or no income and resources.  The amount of SSI payment is dependent upon the income and resources of the client.  You should be aware that earnings from work-study or other work may affect SSI benefits.

Here are some helpful pointers that will help you in obtaining financial aid for college:

1. Investigate financial aid opportunities with your high school counselor.
2. Write or visit the college of your choice and request financial aid application forms.
3. Begin the application process with your Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor.
4. Begin the application process with the Social Security Administration for SSI.
5. Make sure that your IEP or ITP in high school includes your academic and vocational goals.
6. Mail the appropriate financial aid forms as soon as possible after January 1st of your graduating year.
7. Keep track of the dates in which you send all financial aid forms.  You should receive an acknowledgment of receipt of the form within six (6) weeks and a Student Aid Report (SAR) within six (6) weeks of the acknowledgment.  If you have not received any response within eight (8) weeks, call the Student Aid center at the number listed on the form.
8. When the SAR arrives, send it to the financial aid offices of the colleges on your list.
9. Keep in touch with the financial aid office during the course of the application process to verify that they have received your SAR and that they are processing your aid package.
10. If you are a VR client, be sure that your counselor is in touch with your college financial aid office.
11. Be on time and accurate in filling out the application forms.  If possible, have someone else read them and check them for accuracy.  Keep at least one copy of each completed form for your own file in case problems arise.

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Paying for College: 
A Brief Look at Student Financial Aid Programs
from http://www.CollegeIsPossible.org/paying/financial.html

Forms of Financial Aid

Financial aid refers to the wide variety of programs that help students and families pay for college or graduate school.  Financial aid is available in three forms: grants and scholarships, which do not have to be repaid; loans, which have to be repaid; and work-study, which provides aid in exchange for work, usually in the form of campus-based employment.

Three major sources provide the bulk of student financial aid: the federal government, state governments, and colleges and universities.  The federal government is the largest single provider, underwriting 72 percent of all financial aid available, mostly through loans.  Private sources of aid, such as scholarships from companies and loans from nongovernmental organizations, also are available.

Most student aid - and almost all aid provided by the federal government - is awarded to students based on their or their families' ability to pay.  Other aid is merit-based; students receive it on the basis of their individual achievement and not entirely according to family need.

Scope of Financial Aid

Approximately 16.7 million students are enrolled in postsecondary study in the United States.  Over half of these students receive some form of financial aid.

Some $60 billion in financial aid was provided to students in 1997-1998, including federal and nonfederal loans, federal and state grants, and institutional grants.

Determining Financial Aid Packages

Undergraduates are offered financial aid in the form of a "package" - a combination of grants, loans, and work-study.  The first step in determining a student's financial aid package is through the process of need analysis.  There are two formulas for need analysis.  The first is conducted by the federal government to determine eligibility for its programs.  The second is sometimes conducted by colleges and universities to determine how they will distribute their own institutional aid.

The process of need analysis determines how much students and their families are expected to contribute from their own resources ("expected family contribution," or EFC) and how much aid students are eligible to receive.  When the federal government conducts a financial need analysis, it considers the family's income and assets (but ignores assets for families that make less than $50,000 a year), the family's size, the number of parents, the age of the older parent, and the number of other family members enrolled in postsecondary study.  The federal formula typically expects a family contribution of approximately 5 percent of net worth.

The amount of financial aid an undergraduate qualifies for is determined by subtracting expected family contribution from the total price of attending the institution.  Total price includes tuition, fees, room and board, and other expenses.  The gap that exists between a family's expected contribution and the price of attending may be filled by a number of federal and state grant and loan programs, aid provided by institutions, and private sources of aid.

Federal Grant Programs

The federal grant programs are aimed at the neediest students, and provide aid that does not have to be repaid.  They are often combined into a single financial aid package by institutions.

Pell Grant Programs

The Pell Grant program provides grants to low-income undergraduates to help them pay for college.  In 1997-98, this program provided $6.2 billion in grants to 3.7 million undergraduate students at 5,900 postsecondary education institutions.  Individual grants ranged from $400 to $2,700; the average grant was $1,700.  The average family income of Pell Grant recipients who were dependent on their parents for financial support in 1996-97 was $19,260.  The average income for financially independent students was $10,700.  In 1998-99, the maximum grant was $3,000.

Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (SEOG) Program

The SEOG program provides grants to low-income students, and generally helps supplement the aid they receive from Pell Grants and other sources.  Federal funds provide for 75 percent of the award; the college or university contributes the remaining 25 percent or more.  In 1997-98, the program provided $583 million in federal funds to approximately 991,000 students at approximately 3,800 postsecondary institutions.  In 1996-97, awards ranged from $100 to $4,000; the average grant was $700.

State Student Incentive Grant (SSIG) Program

This program, which provides incentives for states to provide grants to students who attend college, has played a significant role in encouraging every state to create and maintain its own student grant program.  States are required to provide at least 50 percent of the funding for this program.  In 1997-98, federal SSIG funds provided $50 million in grants to students who attended postsecondary education.  Including state matching funds, approximately 167,000 students received SSIG funds in 1997-98.

Federal Loan Programs

These loans are guaranteed by the federal government, and are designed to give students flexible repayment options.

Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS)

Louisiana's Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) is a comprehensive programs of state scholarships and one of the most progressive student assistance programs in the nation.

To apply for all TOPS awards you must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the academic year following the year you graduated from high school.  For example, if you will graduate from high school in school year 1999-2000, submit the 2000-2001 version of the FAFSA.  You must enter the name of a Louisiana postsecondary school on the FAFSA for your application to be considered.  The FAFSA may be filed after January 1st and before April 15th for priority consideration and must be received by the final state deadline of July 1st.  A FAFSA may be obtained from your high school guidance counselor or college financial aid office or by calling the Office of Student Financial Assistance at (800) 259-5626 or you may apply over the internet at: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program

The FFEL program makes loans available to students and their families through some 7,100 participating private lenders.  The federal guarantee protects FFEL lenders against loss from borrower default.  In 1997-98, the program made 5.6 million loans for a total amount borrowed of over $21 billion.

William D. Ford Direct Student Loan Program

The Direct Student Loan program uses federal Treasury funds to provide loan capital directly to schools, which then disburse loan funds to students.  The program began operation in the 1994-95 with approximately 7 percent of total U.S. student loan volume.  In 1997-98, it made million loans for a total of nearly $11 billion.

Both FFEL and Direct Loans feature three types of loans with similar fees an maximum borrowing amounts:

• Subsidized Stafford Loans

• Unsubsidized Stafford Loans

• PLUS Loans

Perkins Loan Program

This program provides low-interest (5 percent) loans to undergraduate and graduate/professional students who demonstrate financial need.  Loans are provided through a fund consisting of new federal capital contributions (FCC), institutional contributions, and loan repayments from prior borrowers.  The FCC is matched 25 percent by colleges and universities.  Undergraduates are eligible to borrow up to $3,000 per year, for a maximum of $15,000.  Graduate students are eligible to borrow up to $5,000 per year, for a cumulative maximum (including undergraduate Perkins Loans) of $30,000.  In 1997-98, the program made loans to about 788,000 students at approximately 2,700 institutions.  Over half of the loan funds go to students with family income of $30,000 or less.

Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program

This program provides part-time jobs to undergraduates, graduate, and professional students who use the earnings to finance their educational programs.  Federal funds cover up to 75 percent of wages, with the remaining 25 percent of more being paid by colleges and universities or businesses.  In 1997-98, this program provided $830 million in federal work-study funds to approximately 945,000 students attending 3,900 postsecondary institutions.  In 1996-97, average student earnings from the program were $1,194.  Half of the recipients came from families with incomes of less than $30,000.

TRIO Programs

These programs are designed to help low-income Americans enter and complete college.  TRIO provides services to over 700,000 low-income students, including assistance in choosing a college; tutoring; personal and financial counseling; career counseling; and workplace visits.  Two-thirds of the students served must come from families in which neither parent is a college graduate and total income is less than $24,000.

Specialized Federal Programs

Federal aid is also available from a variety of agencies outside the Department of Education.  This aid, including fellowships, internships, grants, and loans, can be need-based or merit-based, depending on the program.  These programs include: Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need, National Science Foundation predoctoral fellowships (minority and general graduates), the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship program, and college grants provided to volunteers in the Americorps national service programs.  These programs provided more than $2.3 billion to students in 1996-97.

State Programs

The federal State Student Incentive Grant (SSIG) program, which provided states with $50 million in matching funds for 1997-98, has played a significant role in encouraging every state to create and maintain its own student grant program.  In 1996-97, state contributions to SSIG and other grant programs provided students with $3.2 billion in assistance.  State loan programs provided $300 million.  State programs accounted for approximately 6 percent of all aid available in 1996-97.

Institutional Programs

Grants from institutional sources are the second most common type of aid available to students.  Nearly 20 percent of available aid comes from colleges and universities.  Since 1987-88, institutions have doubled the amount of grant aid they provide, from $5 billion to $10 billion in inflation-adjusted dollars.

In addition to financial aid, students and their families have access to several federal tax benefits that help lower their college expenses.  These benefits, which were passed as part of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, will provide $40 billion in student assistance over the next five years.  Thirty-five billion dollars of that will be provided through the Hope Scholarship and Lifetime Learning tax credits:

• Hope Scholarship Tax Credit

• Lifetime Learning Tax Credit

Education Savings

Penalty -free withdrawals are permitted from IRAs for undergraduate and graduate education.  In addition, new "Education IRAs" can be funded with annual, nondeductible contributions of up to $500 per child.  The earnings on these accounts are tax-free if the funds are withdrawn to pay college tuition.  Eligibility to make contributions to Education IRAs is phased out for contributors with adjusted gross income between $95,000 and $110,000 for single taxpayers ($150,000 and $160,000 for joint filers).

Deduction for Student Loan Interest

The new deduction for student loan interest allows borrowers to deduct interest paid in the first 60 months on any loan used for college expenses.  This deduction is available to all taxpayers, regardless of whether they take the standard deduction or itemize their deductions.  The maximum deduction will be $1,000 in 1998; $1,500 in 1999; $2,000 in 2000; and $2,500 in 2001 and thereafter.  The deduction is phased out for single taxpayers with adjusted gross income of between $40,000 and $55,000 ($60,000 and $75,000 for joint returns).

Exclusion for Employee Education Benefits (Section 127)

This provision allows workers to exclude from taxable income up to $5,250 a year in undergraduate tuition assistance provided by their employers.

The Karla Scherer Foundation provides scholarships for women and girls wishing to pursue business careers in the private sector.  The scholarships aim to help more women take their places in the business world, reach higher professional levels and fulfill their potential.  The foundation is especially interested in individuals focusing on economics and finance in the private manufacturing-based sector.

Females from any age, from high school students to Ph.D. candidates, are eligible for the scholarships.  Applicants must be candidates for an undergraduate or graduate degree at a qualifying college or university and must maintain an acceptable scholastic level.
 

Funds:	The foundation does not set dollar limits on individual scholarships and does not make a predetermined number of awards.
Deadlines:	None.  Applications are reviewed regularly.
Application Process:	Applicants should write to the foundation office requesting an application form, identifying the school or schools to which they are applying, listing the courses they plan to take and explaining how they plan to use their education in their chosen career.
Contact:	Karla Scherer Foundation 100 Renaissance Center, Suite 1680 Detroit, MI 48243-1009 Phone: (315) 259-4520 (Voice/TDD) Fax: (313) 259-4521

All Minnie Pearl Scholarship recipients are exceptional students.  They have achieved academic excellence, are class leaders, and are aspiring to even higher levels after high school.  Even more remarkable, these students have been able to reach such high goals in spite of being deaf/hard of hearing.

This year, the EAR Foundation will award fourteen $2,000 scholarships to deaf/hard of hearing students who will be attending prestigious college across the United States.

All applicants must:

• Be a high school senior with at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average.
• Have significant bilateral hearing loss.
• Have already been accepted as a full time student at the University of their choice, but not yet be in attendance.
• Be mainstreamed, deaf/hard of hearing, and a United States Citizen.

The National Captioning Institute (NCI) is offering scholarships to eligible deaf and hard of hearing students studying for careers in media communication and/or media technology, in honor of Dr. Malcolm J. Norwood.  Dr. Norwood was the chief of Media Services for the U.S. Department of Education.  As chief of Media Services, Dr. Norwood supervised the development of the closed captioned television technology.
 

Contact:	Interested students can receive applications by writing: Dr. Malcolm J. Norwood Memorial Award Panel National Captioning Institute 1900 Gallows Road, Suite 3000 Vienna, VA   22182
Deadline:	April 1st of each year

FIND/SVP celebrates 25 years of providing expert problem-solving advice and research.  This scholarship rewards eight students with financial awards.  Eligibility includes:

• Applicants must currently be enrolled or anticipate full- or part-time enrollment in an undergraduate or master's degree program in the following areas: Business, Library Science, Computer Technology, Information Studies, Market Research or Journalism/Communications.
• Must be a legal resident of the United States
• Essays or video tapes will be required as part of the application process.

To provide financial assistance for post secondary education to profoundly deaf and other disabled students:

• Applicants must be oral deaf students who were born with a profound hearing impairment, or suffered such a loss before language was acquired.
• Applicants must be speech and residual hearing and/or speech reading as their preferred mode of communication.
• Must demonstrate a potential for leadership.
• Must be accepted by or already enrolled in a regular full-time college or university program for hearing students.
• Applicants with disabilities other than hearing loss are especially encouraged to apply.

Sertoma International is now accepting applications for scholarships for all deaf and hard of hearing college students pursuing four-year degrees.  This organization will provide ten awards of $1,000 each to students attending universities in the United States or Canada.  This scholarship program has been made possible through a donation by Oticon, Inc. and Phonic Ear Inc.  Both companies are well known for the hearing instruments they create and produce.

Applicants must have:

• A 3.0 cumulative gpa average on a 4.0 scale.
• Have a documented hearing loss
• Be a full-time entering or continuing student in a four-year degree program at a college or university in the United States or Canada.

The Auxiliary of the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association provides financial assistance for postsecondary education to profoundly deaf students.

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be oral deaf students who were born with a profound hearing impairment, or suffered such a loss before language was acquired.
• Applicants must use speech and residual hearing and/or speech reading as their preferred mode of communication.
• Must demonstrate a potential for leadership.
• Must be accepted by or already enrolled in a regular full-time college or university program for hearing students.
• Applicants with disabilities other than a hearing loss are especially encouraged to apply.

To provide financial assistance for postsecondary education to profoundly deaf and other disabled students.

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be oral deaf students who were born with a profound hearing impairment, or suffered such a loss before language was acquired.
• Applicants must use speech and residual hearing and/or speech reading as their preferred mode of communication.
• Must demonstrate a potential for leadership.
• Must be accepted by or already enrolled in a regular full-time college or university program for hearing students.
• Applicants with disabilities other than a hearing loss are especially encouraged to apply.

To provide financial assistance for postsecondary education to profoundly deaf students.

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be oral deaf students who were born with a profound hearing impairment, or suffered such a loss before language was acquired.
• Applicants must use speech and residual hearing and/or speech reading as their preferred mode of communication.
• Must demonstrate a potential for leadership.
• Must be accepted by or already enrolled in a regular full-time college or university program for hearing students.
• Applicants with disabilities other than a hearing loss are especially encouraged to apply.
• Preference will be given to science and engineering students.

To provide financial assistance for postsecondary education to profoundly deaf and other disabled students.

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be oral deaf students who were born with a profound hearing impairment, or suffered such a loss before language was acquired.
• Applicants must use speech and residual hearing and/or speech reading as their preferred mode of communication.
• Must demonstrate a potential for leadership.
• Must be accepted by or already enrolled in a regular full-time college or university program for hearing students.
• Applicants with disabilities other than a hearing loss are especially encouraged to apply.

To provide financial assistance for postsecondary education to profoundly deaf and other disabled students.

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be oral deaf students who were born with a profound hearing impairment, or suffered such a loss before language was acquired.
• Applicants must use speech and residual hearing and/or speech reading as their preferred mode of communication.
• Must demonstrate a potential for leadership.
• Must be accepted by or already enrolled in a regular full-time college or university program for hearing students.
• Applicants with disabilities other than a hearing loss are especially encouraged to apply.

To provide financial assistance for postsecondary education to profoundly deaf and other disabled students.

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be oral deaf students who were born with a profound hearing impairment, or suffered such a loss before language was acquired.
• Applicants must use speech and residual hearing and/or speech reading as their preferred mode of communication.
• Must demonstrate a potential for leadership.
• Must be accepted by or already enrolled in a regular full-time college or university program for hearing students.
• Applicants with disabilities other than a hearing loss are especially encouraged to apply.

To provide financial assistance for postsecondary education to profoundly deaf and other disabled students.

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be oral deaf students who were born with a profound hearing impairment, or suffered such a loss before language was acquired.
• Applicants must use speech and residual hearing and/or speech reading as their preferred mode of communication.
• Must demonstrate a potential for leadership.
• Must be accepted by or already enrolled in a regular full-time college or university program for hearing students.
• Applicants with disabilities other than a hearing loss are especially encouraged to apply.

To provide financial assistance for postsecondary education to members of the society.
 
 

Eligibility:	Deaf, hard of hearing, or hearing persons who are enrolled in or accepted to a postsecondary educational institution are eligible to apply, if they have been members of the National Fraternal Society of the Deaf for at least 1 year prior to application.
Contact:	National Fraternal Society of the Deaf 1300 West Northwest Highway Mount Prospect, IL 60056 Phone: (708) 392-9282 (Voice) (708) 392-1409 (TDD)
Deadline:	June of each year.

To provide financial assistance to deaf graduate students who wish to pursue graduate study in a field related to business at universities for people who hear normally.

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be hearing impaired graduates of Gallaudet University or other accredited colleges or universities who have been accepted to graduate study in a business-related field at colleges or universities for people who hear normally.
•  Preference is given to applicants who possess a master's degree or equivalent and are seeking the doctorate.

To provide financial assistance to deaf women who are interested in graduate education.

Eligibility:

• Deaf women who are college students
• Must be a alumni of Delta Epsilon Sorority
• Must be interested in pursuing a doctoral degree.

To provide financial assistance to deaf graduate students who wish to pursue graduate study at universities for people who hear normally.

Eligibility:

• Must be hearing impaired graduates of Gallaudet University or other accredited colleges or universities, who have been accepted for graduate studies at colleges or universities where people hear normally.
• Preference is given to applicants who possess a master's degree or equivalent and are seeking the doctorate.

To provide financial assistance to deaf women who are interested in graduate education.

Eligibility:

• Deaf women who are college graduates and are interested in pursuing a doctoral degree.
• They do not need to be members of Delta Epsilon.

To increase the number of deaf social scientists who are actively involved in research on sign language or the deaf community by providing financial aid to a deaf graduate student.

Eligibility:

• Any deaf student who is pursuing part-time or full-time graduate studies in a field related to sign language or the deaf community, or who is developing a special project on one of those topics.