College And Financial Aid: College And Career Readiness Terms Explained

Plain-language definitions of every college and financial aid term your child meets in school, each with kid-friendly explanations, worked examples, and common mistakes to watch for.

Award letter

An award letter is a document from a college that explains how much financial aid your child is being offered and what types of aid make up that offer for a specific school year.

Fafsa

fafsa is the "Free Application for Federal Student Aid," the main form students fill out to see if they qualify for federal grants, work-study, and student loans to help pay for college or career school.

Financial aid

Financial aid is money that helps students pay for college or career training, including tuition, fees, housing, books, and other school costs.

Fsa id

An FSA ID is a username and password that a student or parent creates to securely sign and submit federal financial aid forms online, including the FAFSA, and to access U.S.

Work-study

Work-study is a type of financial aid that gives college students part-time jobs, usually on or near campus, so they can earn money to help pay for school costs.

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