Financial Assistance Tax Credits and Federal Financial Aid Eligibility for Financial Aid The actual amount of your financial aid award will depend on your financial need in addition to your cost of attending school, enrollment status (full-time or part-time), and whether you attend school for a full academic year or less. To receive aid from these programs, you must fulfill all of these conditions: Be an eligible citizen or permanent resident of the United States Have a valid Social Security Number Have a high school diploma or a General Education Development certificate (or pass an approved ability-to-benefit test) Enroll in an eligible program as a regular student seeking a degree or certificate (If you are male and in the applicable age range for registration, you must also have registered for Selective Service.) Free Financial Aid Materials Your school's financial aid office offers free student aid materials, including The Student Guide (from the US Department of Education) and The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You may request these materials by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center toll-free: 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) (TDD 1-800-730-8913) Monday-Friday, 8:00 am- 8:00 pm EST The Center's operator can answer your questions about federal student aid programs, applications, and processing. US Department of Education The major source of student financial aid is the US Department of Education. Nearly 70 percent of the student aid awarded each year comes from this federal agency's programs (over $40 billion annually). For more information on major sources of aid from the US Department of Education, select from these items: Federal Pell Grants Federal Plus Loans Federal Stafford Loans School/Campus-Based Programs US Department of Health and Human Services Students may also qualify for federal aid from US Department of Health and Human Services. HHS offers multiple links to a variety of grant sources. US Department of Veterans Affairs Some students may be eligible for financial aid from US Department of Veterans Affairs under the GI Bill. Veterans and their beneficiaries can apply online using the Web Automated Verification of Enrollment (WAVE) form. To file electronically, applicants must be currently enrolled in some form of approved educational program, have a current or active benefit award for MGIB- Active Duty (Chapter 30) in the system, and have recently received a VA Form 22-8979 in the mail.