For students to receive federal, state, and/or institutional funding (depending on the university or college), they must fill out and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or the FAFSA.
The FAFSA can be completed starting October 1. Each year that students are in school, they must complete the FAFSA. To apply and to learn more about the FAFSA, visit the links below:
Free Application for Federal Student Aid Application
Federal Student Aid Toolkit
Read about FAFSA myths and facts:
10 Myths about the FAFSA and Applying for Financial Aid
7 Myths about FAFSA Debunked
Scholarships are a type of financial aid that you do not have to pay back. They are usually won through a competitive process. They can be applied to college-related expenses only. To find different types of scholarships and learn more about how to apply for them, visit the links below.
See these sources for scholarship tips and advice:
12 Tips for Winning Scholarships
Tips for Winning College Scholarships
How to Avoid Scholarship and Financial Aid Scams
Here are two resources for local scholarships: Xello (formerly Career Cruising) and the MPS Scholarships & College and Career Opportunity list.
Here's how to access local scholarships through Xello:
- Go to the Milwaukee Public Schools website (https://mps.milwaukee.k12.wi.us).
- Hover over the Students tab.
- Under Tools, click Student Toolbox, which will redirect to http://clever.com/in/milwaukee.
- Log into Clever to access student applications and tools.
- Under the College and Career Readiness section, select Xello for Students. Log in with your student ID number and password.
- In Xello, scholarship information is on the lower left side under Resources and Links.
2022–2023 Milwaukee Public Schools Scholarships & College and Career Opportunity List
MPS scholarship information is contained in a Google folder. This folder can be accessed directly via https://tinyurl.com/MPSscholarships. The folder contains event flyers, scholarship application materials, presentations, and the 2022–2023 Milwaukee Public Schools Scholarships & College and Career Opportunity List. All the materials can be viewed, downloaded, and printed.
You can visit your College and Career Center advisor and/or school counselor for one-on-one help.
Grants are also gift aid or aid that you do not have to pay back. They are awarded to students through government and institution funds. Grants are not awarded through a competition but are based on financial need or a merit-based requirement. Grants may require additional applications, but most are awarded automatically after students have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). To learn more about grants, please visit the links below.
Difference between Grants and Loans
Federal Pell Grant
Wisconsin TIP Grant (a grant for students who meet certain criteria who plan to attend college in Wisconsin, renewable as long as students remain in college)
A student loan is money that you borrow from a public or private source and use to pay for college-related expenses. All money that you take out on loan you must pay back, usually with interest, which varies by the interest rate of the loan. To learn more about loans, the processes of receiving loans, and repayment information, go to the links below:
Federal Student Loan
Types of Loans and More Information
Public vs. Private Loans