Financial Aid

Virginia’s community colleges hold down tuition costs to make college affordable for every student, but many students still need help to cover a variety of costs such as of tuition, books, room board, and transportation. The financial aid officer at each of our colleges can provide information on eligibility and application processes for federal, state, and local financial aid programs. VCCS College Financial Aid Contacts

Financial aid takes three general forms:

• Grants and Scholarships – financial support that requires no work or repayment
• Work-Study – paid employment for a nonprofit organization on- or off-campus
• Loans – financial support that must be repaid, normally commencing six months after graduation

Federal Information

• Financial Aid Information from the U.S. Department of Education
  View the latest information from the federal government
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
  Check out Before Beginning a FAFSA
• Tax Benefits for Education
• The FAFSA4caster
  Get an early estimate of eligibility for federal student aid

Virginia Information

• VCCS Tuition Grant Program for foster care recipients
• Financial aid links from the Commonwealth of Virginia website
• State Council of Higher Education for Virginia
• Virginia's College Savings Plan

General Information For Financial Aid

• National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA)
• Virginia Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
• FastWeb College Scholarship Search Service
• SmartStudent Guide to Financial Aid
• The College Board
  SAT prep, scholarships, admissions information
• Education Finance Council
  Information and tools for making good decisions through college