The United States, federal government provides need-based federal aid called Federal Student Financial Aid, which is composed of different programs, grants, and scholarships, work and loan programs including Federal Pell Grants, Federal SEOG Grants, SMART Grants, Academic Competitiveness Grants (ACG Grant), Federal Work-Study Program, Federal Stafford Loans (in subsidized and unsubsidized forms), Federal Perkins Loans, State Student Incentive Grants and Federal PLUS Loans. Federal Perkins Loans are made by participating schools per annual appropriations from the U.S. Department of Education, whereas Federal Stafford Loans and Federal PLUS Loans are made by participating lenders under the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). The U.S. Department of Education serves as a lender and guarantor under the William D. Ford Direct Loan Program.

To qualify for federal student aid, a student must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA uses a calculation taking into account income and assets to determine a student's Expected Family Contribution (EFC) toward his or her college education for that year. Colleges use the EFC to decide what types of financial aid a student is eligible to receive. Students must complete the FAFSA each year to be considered for financial aid and must complete an entrance and exit survey.

The EFC also takes into consideration any participation in college savings or pre-paid tuition plans. In the past, financial aid officers weighed pre-paid tuition plans more heavily than other 529 college savings plans when determining a student’s eligibility. In February 2006, Congress passed legislation to treat both types of plans evenly.

State governments also typically provide some types of need- and non-need-based aid, consisting of grants, loans, work-study programs, tuition waivers, and scholarships. Individual colleges and universities may provide grants and need- and merit-based scholarships. Students requiring financial aid beyond what is offered by their institution may consider a private (alternative) education loan, available from most large lending institutions. Typically, education loans obtained through the federal government have lower interest rates than private education loans.

Institutions may also offer their own student financial assistance, in the form of need- or merit-based aid, as well as endowed scholarships (with varying need and/or merit-based criteria). Some schools may only require the FAFSA; some may also require an additional need-based analysis document, such as the CSS/Profile, to apply for such funds to apply a more stringent need analysis for the rationalization of institutional funds.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Student_financial_aid