Financial Aid/Scholarships

If you plan to attend college or trade school, completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can help you finance your education after high school.

FAFSA Overview

• Create an Account by creating an FSA ID
  
• Complete your FAFSA starting December 1st of your senior year
• The earlier you complete the FAFSA the better
• The process can seem overwhelming. If you need help:
• Reach out to your College and Career Readiness Counselor or Magnet School Counselor
• Visit the Federal Student Aid Application Overview Site
• The New Mexico Education Assistance Foundation (NMEAF) hosts weekly FAFSA assistance workshops called Money Monday

After Submission:

• You will receive information on your estimated Student Aid Index (a number used by college and career/trade schools to determine your eligibility for federal student aid)
• Be sure to read any emails from Federal Student Aid
• Communicate with the financial aid office at the college you hope to attend. They may request additional information

For Additional Information

• Contact the College & Career Readiness Counselor or Magnet School Counselor at your high school
• Visit the official Federal Student Aid Website

WUE Scholarships

The WUE (Western Undergraduate Exchange) Scholarship is a special program that helps students pay for college by offering reduced tuition rates. It’s specifically for students who live in certain Western states in the U.S.

 How Does It Work?

1. Reduced Tuition: Instead of paying the full out-of-state tuition, you pay a lower rate, which can save you a lot of money. It's like getting a discount on your college fees.

2. Who Can Get It? This scholarship is available to students who live in Western states that are part of the WUE program. You usually need to apply and be accepted to a college that participates in WUE.

3. Why It’s Great: It makes attending college in a different state more affordable. So, if you want to study in a different part of the country, it can help make that dream more achievable.

4. How to Apply: Check if the colleges you're interested in are WUE schools and see their specific requirements. You’ll often need to fill out an application and meet certain criteria.

Example:

You live in New Mexico and you want to attend college in California. Without WUE, you might have to pay a higher tuition rate because you’re coming from out of state. But with WUE, you could pay a reduced rate, making it more affordable for you to go to that college.  For more information please visit the WUE Savings Finder.

APS Scholarship Link

The APS Scholarship List contains local, statewide, regional, and national scholarships.  Students and other users can bookmark the Google Sheet or download a copy of the sheet for reference.

Additional Scholarships and Financial Aid

There are several reputable scholarship search engines that high school students can use to find scholarships. Here are some of the best ones:

• Bold: Bold offers a great user experience and have lots of unique scholarships on their site. While some of these scholarships are more general “easy” and “no essay” scholarships, Bold also features more specific awards for students with different career interests, demographic backgrounds, and other experiences. 
• College Board Scholarship Search: This search engine is provided by the College Board, the organization behind the SAT. It allows students to find scholarships, internships, grants, and other financial aid opportunities.
• Going Merry aims to simplify scholarship applications for students. Signing up is free, but students can also check to see how much they're eligible for in scholarships without signing up.

• Fastweb: Fastweb is one of the largest and most frequently updated scholarship databases. It allows students to create a profile and matches them with relevant scholarships based on their interests, skills, and demographics.

• Scholarships.com: Similar to Fastweb, Scholarships.com offers a vast database of scholarships that students can search and apply for. It also provides tools to filter scholarships based on various criteria.

This page was last updated on: May 31, 2024.