Student financial aid in the United States

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Student financial aid in the United States is funding that is available exclusively to students attending a post-secondary educational institution in the United States. This funding is used to assist in covering the many costs incurred in pursuing post-secondary education. Financial aid is available from federal and state governments, educational institutions, and private organizations. It can be awarded through grants, loans, work-study, and scholarships. To apply for federal financial aid, students must first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

The financial aid process has been criticized for its part in enrollment management, whereby students are awarded money not based on merit or need, but on the maximum the student families will pay.^[1]