How to pay for college — and what it actually costs
Straight answers on how to pay for college: financial aid, scholarships, student loans and 529 plans. Updated for the July 2026 rules that changed how much families are allowed to borrow.
Start here
Which student loan rules apply to you?
The federal rules changed on 1 July 2026. Your first loan disbursement decides which set you follow — not when you enrolled, and not when you apply.
First disbursed before 1 July 2026
- Grad PLUS still available to you
- No lifetime cap on Direct borrowing
- IBR remains open
First disbursed on or after 1 July 2026
- Grad PLUS is gone
- Parent PLUS capped per year and in total
- Repayment Assistance Plan replaces SAVE
What you can borrow now Borrowers already repaying keep their terms for three years.
Paying for college
Financial Aid & FAFSA
A practical guide to the FAFSA, federal student aid programs, and the process of applying for, comparing, and maintaining need-based aid.
Scholarships & Grants
Scholarships and grants are money for school that you do not repay. This section covers every stage, from understanding how awards work to submitting a winning application.
Student Loans
Everything about borrowing money for college: loan types, limits, repayment, forgiveness, and how to keep debt manageable from the start.
College Costs & Savings
What college costs, how to save for it, and how to reduce what your family pays — before financial aid, loans, or scholarships enter the picture.
Choosing a College
How to research, compare, and evaluate colleges — covering admissions, outcomes data, program fit, accreditation, and the decision itself.
School and learning
School Choice & Enrollment
How to navigate public, private, charter, and home-based education options — covering enrollment rules, school quality, and transitions from kindergarten through twelfth grade.
Learning & Academic Support
How students learn, get support, and stay on track academically — from daily study habits to formal support plans and extra help.
School Life & Wellbeing
A practical guide to the non-academic side of school: wellbeing, relationships, safety, and building the habits that carry students forward.
Work it out for yourself
Four calculators built on the current federal figures, including the July 2026 borrowing rules most tools have not caught up with.
College savings projection
See what a monthly contribution could grow to by the time a child starts, and what it does not cover.
Open the calculatorHow much should I borrow?
Compare a borrowing plan against realistic starting pay for the field, using the rule that total borrowing should stay under one year…
Open the calculatorStudent loan payment estimator
Estimate a monthly payment and the total interest for a balance, rate and term you supply.
Open the calculatorWhich student loan rules apply to me?
Federal student aid changed on 1 July 2026. Answer one question and find out which set of rules governs your loans.
Open the calculator