The cost of going to college varies widely. Factors that can affect your cost of going to college include the tuition rate of the college you attend, whether it’s an in-state or out-of-state school, whether you live on campus, and what kind of financial aid package you receive. To get a good idea of what you can expect to pay at ASU, try our Net Price Calculator.

Almost everyone is eligible to receive financial aid. If you think your family’s income is too high to qualify for financial aid, you might be surprised. And many scholarships are available, not only for students with financial need or with good grades, but also for students with special talents, interests or characteristics. It’s worth the time it takes to apply for any and all financial aid that you are eligible to receive — it really does add up.

Some forms of financial aid do not require you to be admitted to a college before you apply for the aid and others do. You can submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid  before you are admitted to a college to find out what you are eligible to receive in federal grants, work-study and loans. Other forms of aid, such as ASU’s New American University Scholarship, require you to be admitted to the university before you can be considered for an award.

To qualify for federal financial aid, you must meet several eligibility criteria   including being a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen, having a valid Social Security number, demonstrating financial need, and being registered for Selective Service if you’re a male.

Federal Work-Study is a federally funded program for students with financial need in which they can work in a job to help pay for college. Students who qualify for Federal Work-Study do not automatically get placed in a job. They must apply for and be hired in a Federal Work-Study position before they can start receiving money for college.

Merit aid is aid that you receive based on things you do such as your academic performance, athletic skills or artistic accomplishments. ASU offers merit scholarships, including for outstanding academic performance. The New American University Scholarship has a range of award values, and you’ll be automatically considered for upon admission to the university if you provide ASU with your ACT or SAT scores.