Students walking through Penland Courtyard

Web Resources

Financial Aid

General Financial Aid Information

FinAid! Guide to Financial Aid 

Student Aid on the Web - The U.S. Department of Education 

Parent and Student Financial Aid Resource Center - NASFAA 

College Board 

GoCollege 

College Access    

Applying for Federal Financial Aid

FAFSA on the Web
File your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) electronically. It's faster and easier when you use your Student Financial Aid / FAFSA PIN!

Federal Student Aid / FSA ID
Your FSA ID (personal identification number) will allow you to electronically sign your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), make corrections to your processed application and view a history of the federal financial aid that you have received. Parents of dependent students may also apply for an FSA ID at the above website so that they may electronically sign the FAFSA on the Web. 

Scholarship Searches

FastWeb Free Scholarship Search 

College Board's Scholarship Search

Peterson's CollegeQuest 

StudentScholarships.org

Scholarship Gateway

Unigo.com

State Programs - South Carolina

South Carolina Commission on Higher Education
Includes information on the LIFE Scholarship, SC HOPE Scholarship, Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, SC Need-Based Grant, Lottery Tuition Assistance Program and other SC-funded programs 

South Carolina College Aid

Loan Information

For Prospective and Current Borrowers

StudentLoans.gov 
This site is your source for information from the U.S. Department of Education about how to manage your federal student loans. You will find information about Direct Loans for students and parents.

For Current and Previous Borrowers

National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS)
The NSLDS is the U.S. Department of Education's central database for student aid. You can use the website to make inquiries about your Title IV loans and/or Pell grants. The site displays information on loan and/or grant amounts, outstanding balances, loan statuses, and disbursements.

National Student Clearinghouse 
This free, web-based service provides students with their loan holders' names, telephone numbers and website addresses.

Direct Loan Online Counseling 
Loan entrance counseling is required for all first time borrowers in the Federal Direct Loan Program. Loan exit counseling is required prior to graduation or departure from the University. Do your loan counseling online at this address.

Federal Loan Consolidation
Once you graduate or choose not to attend school at least half time, you will have the option to combine your federal education loans into one new loan with the Federal Consolidation Loan Program. With a consolidation loan, you will have only one payment to make each month and one lender. 

Federal Loan Cancellation for Teachers
You may be eligible to cancel a portion of your Stafford Loans if you did not have an outstanding balance on a loan as of October 1, 1998 and you have been employed as a full-time teacher for five consecutive complete academic years in a "low-income" elementary or secondary school. Find information and eligibility requirements at this site.

Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program (NELRP)
This Program offers registered nurses substantial assistance to repay educational loans in exchange for service in eligible facilities located in areas experiencing a shortage of nurses. Information and eligibility requirements are available at this site.

FASTChoice Private Loan Comparisons