The office of Federal Student Aid provides grants, loans, and work-study funds for college or career school.

 We offer more than $150 billion each year to help millions of students pay for higher education.

About Us

Who We Are

Federal Student Aid, a part of the U.S. Department of Education, is the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation. At the office of Federal Student Aid, our 1,200 employees help make college education possible for every dedicated mind by providing more than $150 billion in federal grants, loans, and work-study funds each year to more than 15 million students paying for college or career school. We are proud to sponsor millions of American minds pursuing their educational dreams.    


What We Do

Federal Student Aid is responsible for managing the student financial assistance programs authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. These programs provide grants, loans, and work-study funds to students attending college or career school. 

We ensure students and their families can benefit from these programs by:

  • Informing students and families of the availability of the federal student aid programs and on the process for applying for and receiving aid from those programs;
  • Developing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSASM) and processing more than 21 million FAFSA submissions each year;
  • Accurately disbursing, reconciling, and accounting for all federal student aid funds that are delivered to students each year through more than 6,000 colleges and career schools;
  • Managing the outstanding federal student loan portfolio and securing repayment from federal student loan borrowers;
  • Offering free assistance to students, parents, and borrowers throughout the entire financial aid process; and
  • Providing oversight and monitoring of all program participants—schools, financial entities, and students— to ensure compliance with the laws, regulations, and policies governing the federal student aid programs. 

Additional Resources

We encourage you to visit the following resources to better understand Federal Student Aid’s role in funding education beyond high school.