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BROWNWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

Financial Aid

Financial Aid- FAFSA

 

Paying for College: Financial Aid Overview

What is Financial Aid?

  • Financial aid is money that helps students and families pay for college.
  • It can come from the federal government, the state, colleges, private organizations and loans.

There are four main types of financial aid:

types of financial aid

1. Grants (Free Money)

  • Grants are need-based aid that does not have to be repaid
  • Awarded by federal and state governments and colleges
  • Examples: Pell Grant, Texas Grant

2. Scholarships (Free Money)

  • Scholarships do not need to be repaid
  • Awarded based on merit (grades, test scores, activities), financial need, or specific criteria
  • Offered by colleges, organizations, and private companies
  • Institutional (the college itself) aid is generally the largest amount of scholarship given

3. Work-Study (Earned Money)

  • A part-time job program for students with financial need
  • Students earn money to help pay for expenses while enrolled in college

4. Loans (Borrowed Money)

  • Loans must be repaid with interest
  • Federal student loans often have lower interest rates and better protections than private loans
  • Students will qualify for Federal Loans (subsidized or unsubsidized) by completing the FAFSA
  • Should be used carefully and as a last option after grants and scholarships

 

More Texas Information for FAFSA

Texas Graduation Requirement

In accordance with Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.0256, students enrolled in 12th grade must do ONE of the following in order to graduate:

Students must:

  • Submit proof of FAFSA OR TASFA completionFinancial aid requirement
  • Submit the official TEA Opt-Out Form

Talk to your school counselor for more information!

  • FAFSA – Free Application for Federal Student Aid

    The FAFSA is the main application used to determine eligibility for financial aid.

    • Federal student aid is money that students can use to help pay for college
    • Completing the FAFSA allows colleges to determine eligibility for grants, work-study, loans, and sometimes scholarships
    • The FAFSA calculates a Student Aid Index (SAI), which colleges use to build financial aid offers. Financial need is determined as Cost of Attendance (COA) - Student Aid Index (SAI) = Financial Need.

    Who Should Complete the FAFSA?

    • All students should complete the FAFSA, regardless of income
    • Many colleges and scholarship programs require it
    • Even families who do not qualify for need-based aid may need it for merit aid consideration
    • FAFSA website:Student Aid
    • Some colleges will require the CSS Profile in addition to the FAFSA to be considered for institutional student aid, check the school's website carefully for deadlines. CSS Profile website: cssprofile

    Important Dates

    • The 2026–2027 FAFSA opens October 1, 2026
    • Texas Priority Deadline: January 15, 2026
      • Meeting this deadline is critical for Texas Grants and Texas institutional aid
      • Many Texas colleges have a application and scholarship priority deadline of December 1st.

  • TASFA – Texas Application for State Financial Aid

    • Students who are not eligible to complete the FAFSA due to citizenship status may qualify for the TASFA
    • TASFA allows eligible students to be considered for Texas state financial aid programs
    • TASFA can only be submitted to one college - submission should be before January 15
    • To complete the TASFA, students must be a Texas Resident.
    • TASFA website: TASFA Information for Families