Guidance for Financing Education

Education can change lives, but rising costs and complex FAFSA forms put it out of reach for many families. We help students and families understand and access financial aid resources to make your dreams possible.

Start your higher education journey

We’ll help you complete and submit the FAFSA so you can access the financial aid you’re eligible for.

Schedule an Appointment

Setting high schoolers up for success

We can help you determine a pathway to pay for college. We’ve run 100+ workshops for 1,800 students, helping them navigate college costs, financial aid, and personal statements.

Partner organizations can book large-group workshops

Workshop

College Finances 101

Overwhelmed by student loans? In this workshop, we’ll break down how loans work, what repayment really looks like, and how to borrow smart—so you can make informed choices about your education.

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Workshop

Financial Aid Overview (FAFSA)

Financial aid changes every year. In this workshop, we’ll explain the latest updates to the FAFSA and Alternative Application and help you understand what’s new, what’s required, and how to apply with confidence.

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Workshop

Complete your financial aid application

Filing for aid can be confusing. In this workshop, we’ll walk students and families through the FAFSA or Alternative Application step by step—making sure everything’s completed accurately and on time.

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Planning and 
financial aid tools

Looking for more support on your path to higher education? Here are some of our top recommended resources to help you plan, prepare, and pay for college:

Federal Student Aid Estimator
Estimate how much financial aid you’ll receive based off of some questions that involve your living situation and family’s income, and your own income. Note: Choose “None of the above” for first question.
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Student Loan Simulator

The FAFSA Loan Simulator lets you explore different repayment options by showing your monthly payment, total cost, and payoff timeline. You can enter loan amounts manually without logging in or sign in to access your actual loan data.
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Scholarship Portal
This website lists a wide range of scholarships for different degree programs. Awards vary, and some scholarships may have specific requirements to apply.
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FAQS

You will need:
Social Security Number or Alien Registration Number (If applicable)
Personal email for the student and contributor if dependent
2024 Tax Return
Bank Statements, Investments and Child Support records (If applicable)

A parent is your biological, adoptive, or stepparent if married to a biological or adoptive parent.

The parent who provides more financial support should fill out the financial aid application. If both parents support is equal, use the parent with the higher income.

You may edit your financial aid application and resubmit it.

You must submit the financial aid application every year you plan to attend school.

Yes, all Ladder Up services are free for clients. As a nonprofit, we rely purely on donors for funding, meaning you’ll never pay a thing for our services—that’s the Ladder Up promise.