Award Letter Comparison Tool
Use this tool to compare up to five financial aid award letters so you can figure out what you’ll need to pay for each school. Get started by entering your state and school, and then fill in each field using your award letter. Click Calculate to get the results.
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The total amount, determined by the school, a student will likely pay for one academic year. It may include tuition, room and board, books, supplies, transportation, and personal expenses. If this line item does not appear on your award letter, check the school's website, contact the school's financial aid office, or visit
nces.ed.gov/ipeds.Enter numeric value only.
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There are a variety of grants and scholarships and not all of them are need-based. Use this college scholarship search tool Opens modal dialog to search over 4 million scholarships worth more than $22 billion. It's free with no registration required.
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A part-time employment program funded by the government that allows students to earn money that can be used to help pay for college. Generally the wages are paid directly to the student and used to pay for books and living expenses.
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Are designed to cover the gap between cost of attendance and other financial aid and must be paid back. There are two categories of student loans: federal and private. Federal student loans are made by the federal government and are included on your award letter. Private student loans are made by banks and financial institutions and are not included in your award letter.
Keep in mind that some student loans charge a fee, which may be deducted from each disbursement, so you'll receive less money than you borrowed.Enter numeric value only.
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Tuition is the cost of instruction at a specific school. Tuition does not include room and board, textbooks, supplies, and other fees a school may charge for attendance. Fees can vary by school and may account for activities, parking, health, and technology. If this line item does not appear on your award letter, check the school's website, contact the school's financial aid office, or visit
National Center for Education Statisticsnces.ed.gov/ipeds.Room and board charges will vary based on whether the student is living on or off campus and dining on or off campus. If this line item does not appear on your award letter, check the school's website, contact the school's financial aid office, or visit
National Center for Education Statisticsnces.ed.gov/ipeds.This is generally an estimated cost of the books and supplies a student may need per term. This estimate will vary based on a student's intended major. If this line item does not appear on your award letter, check the school's website, contact the school's financial aid office, or visit
National Center for Education Statisticsnces.ed.gov/ipeds.This can vary by school and depends on the number of round-trips to and from home the school is estimating.
Includes personal expenses such as phone and Internet service, laundry, and events. If this line item does not appear on your award letter, check the school's website, contact the school's financial aid office, or visit nces.ed.gov/ipeds. These expenses may not be included in what the school certifies as part of your cost of attendance.
Grants are typically based on financial need and are awarded by the federal government, your state government, or your school.
Scholarships are typically based on merit, a student characteristic, or financial need and are awarded by schools and private organizations.
Available to undergraduate and graduate students regardless of financial need and the student is responsible for paying the interest but can defer payments while in school. These loans do not require a credit check.
Available to undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need, and the government pays the interest on these loans while the student is in school. These loans do not require a credit check.
Available to parents with dependent students and graduate students who are US citizens and eligible non-citizens enrolled at least half-time in an undergraduate program. Borrowers must pass a credit check. These loans let parents and graduate students borrow up to the full cost of attendance less any other financial aid.
School-based, low-interest education loans available for US citizens and eligible non-citizens enrolled at least half-time in an undergraduate, graduate or professional program. No credit check or cosigner is required. These loans are awarded based on exceptional financial need.
This may include other state or school based loans. Private student loans are made by banks and financial institutions and are not included in your award letter.
Money earned or money that you will earn from part- or full-time employment. This should not include your work-study award.
Some employers offer tuition reimbursement that will help pay for a portion of your tuition and books. Tuition reimbursement benefits vary by employer, so it is important to check the details to ensure you can take full advantage of them.
Award Comparison Results
The bar graphs include the total cost of attendance for each school. Hover over or tap the graphs to reveal totals for each category. Click each graph to expand the sections and see how your financial aid awards compare against each other. If you need to make changes, just enter the updated values and click Recalculate.
Once you’re finished, remember to print or save the results.
| Cost of Attendance |
|---|
| Grants and Scholarships |
| Federal Work-Study |
| Federal Loans |
| Your Financial Contribution |
| Gap |
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Based on the comparison results, we've identified the schools with the lowest and highest cost that your family needs to cover.
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( = )
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This calculation represents the costs that you are responsible for. Federal Work-Study, student loans, savings, or income can be used to pay for these costs. Scholarships and grants are excluded from this calculation as they are free money that does not need to be paid back.
Based on the comparison results, we've identified the schools with the lowest and highest cost that your family needs to cover.
Note: Costs You Need to Cover = Cost of Attendance − Grants and Scholarships
Expand AllExpand All school detailsThere are a variety of grants and scholarships and not all of them are need-based. Discover Student Loans Free Scholarship Search Opens modal dialog is a fast and easy way to search over 4 million scholarships worth more than $22 billion. No registration required.
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The amount you will need to cover that could be satisfied by, but is not limited to, private or corporate scholarships and private student loans. This is the difference between your total cost of attendance and your financial aid award plus your planned financial contributions.
You can accept as much or as little of your financial aid award as you need. Talk to the financial aid office about your award if your situation has changed since completing the FAFSA®. Continue to apply for scholarships to help reduce the amount you will have to borrow. FAFSA® is a registered trademark of the US Department of Education and is not affiliated with Discover® Student Loans.Maximize your free money options first before taking out student loans. If you do need to borrow, compare federal and private student loans to find the loans that best fit your needs. Only borrow what you need and consider making payments while in school to reduce the overall cost of your loans.
This is for informational purposes only. Results may vary by school.
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