- The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is your first stop to getting financial aid for the summer. You have a better chance of getting the most financial aid possible if you have filled out the FAFSA for the spring semester and then for the upcoming fall semester. Your summer financial aid can come out of the aid you would have received for the previous semester or for the fall semester.
- Contact your school's financial aid office early in the spring semester to see if you need to fill out other financial aid forms for the summer term. Some colleges offer financial aid during the summer, although some do not. Your college may have some grant or scholarship packages you can fill out to apply for summer aid. Check with the financial aid department well before the summer deadline for tuition payment.
- Some grants and scholarships may be used during the summer. As you research possible grant and scholarship opportunities, find out if they can be used for the summer term. Begin researching about a year ahead of when you will need the scholarship. For example, the Pennsylvania Summer State Grant is available to Pennsylvania residents who meet certain eligibility requirements and who plan to attend college during the summer.
- If you plan to participate in a summer program such as study abroad or an internship, financial aid is available. Scholarships are available just for study abroad both from individual colleges and from private organizations. Although students may not be aware of it, even some community colleges offer study abroad programs and scholarships to attend them. Contact your college's financial aid office to see if it offers financial aid for students participating in summer unpaid internships.
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