At 4-year degree-granting postsecondary institutions, the percentage of first-time, full-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students who were awarded financial aid in academic year 2019–20 was higher at private nonprofit institutions (90 percent) than at private for-profit institutions (87 percent) and public institutions (85 percent).
Grants and loans are the major forms of federal financial aid for first-time, full-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students. These are distinct forms of financial aid. Loans typically have to be repaid, whereas grants do not. The largest federal grant program available to undergraduate students is the Federal Pell Grant program. A student must demonstrate financial need to qualify for a Federal Pell Grant. Some federal loan programs are available to all students, and some are based on financial need. Other sources of financial aid include state and local governments, institutions, and private sources, as well as private loans. The forms of financial aid discussed in this indicator are only those provided directly to students. For example, student loans include only loans for which the student is the designated borrower. Student loans do not include Direct PLUS Loans1 or other loans made directly to parents.
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NOTE: Data represent the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Degree-granting institutions grant associate's or higher degrees and participate in Title IV federal financial aid programs. Student financial aid includes any federal and private loans to students and federal, state/local, and institutional grants. Student loans include only loans made directly to students; they do not include Parent PLUS Loans or other loans made directly to parents. Data through 2009–10 are for students receiving aid. Students were counted as receiving aid only if they were awarded and accepted aid and their aid was also disbursed. Beginning in 2010–11, data are for all students awarded aid. Although rounded numbers are displayed, the figures are based on unrounded data.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Spring 2011, Winter 2015–16, and Winter 2020–21, Student Financial Aid component. See Digest of Education Statistics 2021, table 331.20; and Digest of Education Statistics 2016, table 331.20.
NOTE: Data represent the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Degree-granting institutions grant associate's or higher degrees and participate in Title IV federal financial aid programs. Student financial aid includes any federal and private loans to students and federal, state/local, and institutional grants. Student loans include only loans made directly to students; they do not include Parent PLUS Loans or other loans made directly to parents. Data through 2009–10 are for students receiving aid. Students were counted as receiving aid only if they were awarded and accepted aid and their aid was also disbursed. Beginning in 2010–11, data are for all students awarded aid. Although rounded numbers are displayed, the figures are based on unrounded data.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Spring 2011, Winter 2015–16, and Winter 2020–21, Student Financial Aid component. See Digest of Education Statistics 2021, table 331.20; and Digest of Education Statistics 2016, table 331.20.
1 Student loans include only loans made directly to students; they do not include Parent PLUS Loans or other loans made directly to parents.
NOTE: Data represent the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Degree-granting institutions grant associate's or higher degrees and participate in Title IV federal financial aid programs. Student financial aid includes any federal and private loans to students and federal, state/local, and institutional grants.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Winter 2020–21, Student Financial Aid component. See Digest of Education Statistics 2021, table 331.20.
1 Student loans include only loans made directly to students; they do not include Parent PLUS Loans or other loans made directly to parents.
NOTE: Data represent the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Degree-granting institutions grant associate's or higher degrees and participate in Title IV federal financial aid programs. Student financial aid includes any federal and private loans to students and federal, state/local, and institutional grants. Although rounded numbers are displayed, the figures are based on unrounded data.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Winter 2020–21, Student Financial Aid component. See Digest of Education Statistics 2021, table 331.20.
1 Student loans include only loans made directly to students; they do not include Parent PLUS Loans or other loans made directly to parents.
NOTE: Data represent the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Degree-granting institutions grant associate's or higher degrees and participate in Title IV federal financial aid programs. Student financial aid includes any federal and private loans to students and federal, state/local, and institutional grants. Award amounts are in constant 2020–21 dollars, based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Averages exclude students who were not awarded financial aid. Although rounded numbers are displayed, the figures are based on unrounded data.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Winter 2020–21, Student Financial Aid component. See Digest of Education Statistics 2021, table 331.20.
1 Student loans include only loans made directly to students; they do not include Parent PLUS Loans or other loans made directly to parents.
NOTE: Data represent the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Degree-granting institutions grant associate's or higher degrees and participate in Title IV federal financial aid programs. Student financial aid includes any federal and private loans to students and federal, state/local, and institutional grants. Award amounts are in constant 2020–21 dollars, based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Averages exclude students who were not awarded financial aid.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Winter 2020–21, Student Financial Aid component. See Digest of Education Statistics 2021, table 331.20.
1 Parent PLUS Loans are taken out by parents of dependent students and are used toward the students’ undergraduate education. Parent PLUS Loans were available through both the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program and the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) until FFELP was discontinued in 2010. Since then, Parent PLUS Loans have been referred to as Direct PLUS Loans.
2 Student financial aid includes any federal and private loans to students and federal, state/local, and institutional grants. For academic year 2009–10, the percentage of students with financial aid was reported as the percentage of students who “received aid.” Starting with academic year 2010–11, postsecondary institutions reported the same data as the percentage of students who “were awarded aid” to better reflect that some students were awarded aid but did not receive it.