For many students, the looming process of college admissions is something most will have to seriously consider by the end of their junior year.  Between preparing for the SAT and meeting with guidance counselors, college is a prospect that is hard to ignore. Naturally, one of the most important aspects of college consideration is affordability. And with the cost of college education at an all-time high- very few will be exempt from the pressure of finding a college that you love but can also afford.

Fortunately, there are multiple options and opportunities for students to receive financial aid. One option, is the FAFSA form. It is federal student aid provided by the U.S. Department of Education. The government provides over 150 billion dollars in federal grants, loans, and work study programs for more than 13 million students attending college or career schools. Most everyone is eligible to apply, even if you are a non-citizen or have a criminal record, there are very few exclusions. More specifics can be found on their official fasfa.ed.gov web address but it is certainly something that you want to look into applying for.

Furthermore, grants and scholarships are another major utility for financial aid. Grants and Scholarships are a monetary donation to your college education and they do not need to be repaid. They are offered by schools, private companies, employers, nonprofits, individuals, religious groups, communities, and organizations.

Scholarships qualifications can be merit-based, which means you are required to meet certain academic, athletic, or talent based requirements.  Alternatively, some scholarships are available for particular groups of people such as military families, women, religious or racial groups, or whoever else has been specified.

Scholarships can have a range in value- anywhere from a few hundred dollars to covering the cost of your tuition. Regardless of amount it is always worth applying as every bit helps.

To find scholarships, you can check with your guidance counselor, or financial aid office at your specific colleges. The U.S. Department of Labor and College Board both have free scholarship search tool that you can use. Checking at federal or state agencies, foundations, local businesses, professional associations, ethnicity or religious based organization, or for scholarships in your field are great ways to find scholarships as well.

Contrary to what you may think, if you are trying to get more financial aid from your college, consider a more prestigious college or Ivy League university.  Since they are privately run, they actually may have considerable amount of money available for financial aid and scholarships.

Additionally, if you are considering going into the military, they will sometimes pay up to the entirety of your tuition for college courses you take when you are not serving.  If this is something you are interested in, serving in the Air Force, Army, or Navy, may be something to look into as they offer excellent financial coverage for education, which you can even do after you finish your service. How long you are required to serve varies depending on which aspect of the military you join.

Moreover, domestic exchange or study abroad programs could also give you eligibility for scholarships. For anyone looking to travel, this is a really great way to do that in a financially beneficial way. Depending on the specific location you travel to and the type of work you do while you are there, for example nonprofit work or studying, you could receive scholarships for your time abroad or be sponsored by organizations that work with your school to pay for your travels. Scholarships and exchange programs are available through many organizations for varying amounts, so you have to research for your personal specifications. This is a great option to keep in mind, considering you get to travel and potentially get scholarship money for doing it, so research into what works best for you.

Unfortunately, we are left now at everyone’s least favorite form of financial aid, student loans. Loans do need to be paid back, and the issue with them is that they collect interest which can accumulate over time. It is important to be careful to only take out loans that you absolutely need and you will be able to pay back in the future. Otherwise, that could lead to hefty student loan debts.

There are many different types of loans like the Federal Perkins Loan which is a campus based loan with fixed interest of 5%, however there is limited federal funding and the loan itself has monetary limitations. Additionally, the Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) is another loan from the government that allows parents to borrow money for things not covered in the student’s financial aid with a fixed interest rate is at 7.9%. These are only two examples, but you can find loans that cater to your individual needs.

At the end of the day, college is and will always be expensive. However, don’t let that deter you. If you look, there are a lot of options out there just waiting, so be ardent in your search. This is only a basic outline, of the very complex financial aspect of college. So continue researching because there is tons of information online, as well as with your guidance counselor.