General Financial Aid Information

“Financial Aid” means any help with paying for college. Financial aid can be loans, grants, scholarship or work study programs. The best source of need-based financial aid is the Free Application for Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA). Below is some basic information about Financial Aid. If you do not have a Social Security number, you can fill out the ORSAA, which qualifies you for Oregon State financial aid and the Oregon Promise Scholarship / Grant. For information about financial aid opportunities for non-citizens, click this link.

FAFSA

FAFSA Basics

We encourage ALL students to fill out the Free Application for Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is the gateway for all need-based financial aid. Students work with their parents to fill in the FAFSA online. Based on the information you provide, students can be awarded any combination of grants, loans and work study. Filling the FAFSA does NOT obligate you to take any of the aid offered – you can always refuse, but you never know what you’ll get unless you file the FAFSA! Check out the FAFSA website here. You can take a look any time, but you can’t file the FAFSA until October 1st of the year before you plan to start college.