Financial Aid

 Applying for Financial Aid

MEFA Financial Aid Night is scheduled for Monday, October 30, 2023 at 6:00pm in the NHS auditorium.  Here are the slides from the presentation.  

Financial aid is available to students who are in need of assistance in meeting the cost of post-secondary education. Various forms of financial aid are now available in the school counseling office including local, state, and federal options.

FAFSA
New to FAFSA over the last couple of years, students can now submit a FAFSA® starting October 1st. Complete the FREE FAFSA at: www.fafsa.ed.gov.

CSS PROFILE
Certain private colleges also require students to complete the CSS Profile. This for allows college financial aid offices to look more indepthly at your financial status. To complete the Profile, go to https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/. 

Receive support from MEFA (Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority) at: http://www.mefa.org/

What Types of Financial Aid are Available?

Students and their families are encouraged to apply to various financial aid sources, so they can receive as much assistance as possible. Different types of aid may include:

Grants/Scholarships
This form of aid is a ‘gift’ that does not have to be repaid.  This 'gift' aid is offered at the local, state and federal levels and is based on need and/or academic achievement, special interests such as athletics, music or other abilities.

Students who receive local scholarships MUST report awards to colleges and universities. Colleges will include them as part of the student's overall aid package and may make adjustments to the package as necessary (MEFA, 2021-2022).
 

Outside Scholarships
Various outside scholarships are available for students. These scholarships come from local and state civic groups, community organizations as well as national sources.

Scholarships are available in the school counseling office on the scholarship board and on the scholarship webpage. Keep in mind that scholarship applications are added frequently so please check back often.

Scholarships available specifically for minority students: http://www.onlinecolleges.net/for-students/financial-aid-minorities/

There are also general scholarships available on the following sites: 
https://www.scholarships.com/
https://www.fastweb.com/

Work-Study
Work-study aid is an opportunity for students to work part-time in a campus setting to earn money for books, supplies and everyday living expenses.  Work-study aid is not directly connected to each semester’s tuition bill but is given to students in the form of an hourly wage.

Loans
Loans are available as a form of borrowing for students and/or parents to ease the cost of higher education up front.

Financial Aid Award Letter
Students who qualify for financial aid, whether grants, loans or work-study, will receive "Financial Aid Award letters" a package comprised of self-aid and gift-aid.  The amount of aid varies for each student; aid is often based on family need, a student's academic credentials, available institution funds etc .