Student Aid       Students seeking financial aid for school will soon find that there is not only a variety of assistance available, but also variations of each type. The three main types of assistance a student will find are Direct Loans, Federal Grants and Stafford Loans. The following is a directory for students to use to search for the answers to questions on financial aid and government programs. These sites not only provide answers to questions, but if your question is covered on the site, they provide search engines to help you to find the answer youre looking for. Aid Eligibility       Eligibility for federal student aid is based on financial need and on several other factors. The financial aid administrator at the college or career school you plan to attend will determine your eligibility. Review the guidelines of all the eligibility requirements for Federal Student Aid Programs, including applications that need to be submitted to determine your eligibility. http://studentaid.ed.gov/  Types of Aid:      The Federal Student Aid Programs are the largest source of college financial assistance, each year providing more than $60 billion in funding. They offer aid through a variety of methods: as gift aid in the form of grants (money that does not have to be repaid), and as self-help aid in the form of work study (job earnings) and loans (money that must be paid back at interest). There are a wide variety of each method, this site explains each method and the options that are available under each. http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP/Students/student.html  FAQ on Student Aid:       Find quick answers about the Direct Loan Program. This page provides the answers to common questions. If you don't see the answer to your particular question, contact Direct Loan staff by e-mail or phone. http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP/DirectLoan/faq.html  Alternative Sources for Student Funding:       Offers information on the main alternatives to student funding. Alternatives such as Americorps, US Army and the department of Veteran Affairs are covered. http://studentaid.ed.gov  Student Guide PDF:       Complete guide offered by the Federal Student Aid program to explain the concept of student loans and what a consumer needs to know. This is a comprehensive manual covering topics such as: Student Aid at a Glance, Types of Federal Student Aid, Federal Pell Grants, Campus Programs and Direct Loans. http://studentaid.ed.gov  Student Guide Publications:       View publications from the Federal Student Aid program. You may also download applications and student guides relating to finance and college planning. http://studentaid.ed.gov  Student Information and Search Site:       Search online resources of the Federal Government on student aid sources relating to: Planning your education, Paying for your education, Career development, Military Service, Government, Community service and Travel. http://www.students.gov/STUGOVWebApp/index.jsp  Student Loan Consolidation       The Higher Education Act provides for a loan consolidation program under both the Federal Family Education Loan and the Direct Loan Program. Under these programs, a borrowers loans are paid off and a new consolidation loan is created. http://www.loanconsolidation.ed.gov State Higher Education Contact Numbers       These agencies provide information on state education programs, colleges and universities, student aid assistance programs, grants, scholarships, continuing education programs, career opportunities, and some guaranty agencies. You can search the U.S. Department of Educations database at www.studentaid.ed.gov for contact information and Web site addresses. At the site, click on Funding, then look under State Aid. You can also contact the agency by calling the telephone number listed below: Alabama 1-334-242-1998 Alaska 1-800-441-2962 Arizona 1-602-258-2435 Arkansas 1-800-547-8839 California 1-888-224-7268 Colorado 1-303-866-2723 Connecticut 1-860-947-1833 Delaware 1-800-292-7935 District of Columbia 1-202-727-6436 Florida 1-888-827-2004 Georgia 1-800-776-6878 Hawaii 1-808-956-8213 Idaho 1-208-334-2270 Illinois 1-800-899-4722 Indiana 1-317-232-2350 Iowa 1-800-383-4222 Kansas 1-785-296-3421 Kentucky 1-800-928-8926 Louisiana 1-800-259-5626 Maine 1-800-228-3734 Maryland 1-410-260-4543 Massachusetts 1-617-994-6950 Michigan 1-888-447-2687 Minnesota 1-800-657-3866 Mississippi 1-601-432-6997 Missouri 1-800-473-6757 Montana 1-406-444-6597 Nebraska 1-402-471-0030 Nevada 1-775-687-9228 New Hampshire 1-603-271-2555 New Jersey 1-800-792-8670 New Mexico 1-800-279-9777 New York 1-888-697-4372 North Carolina 1-919-549-8614 North Dakota 1-701-328-2960 Ohio 1-888-833-1133 Oklahoma 1-800-858-1840 Oregon 1-800-452-8807 Pennsylvania 1-800-692-7392 Rhode Island 1-800-922-9855 South Carolina 1-803-737-2260 South Dakota 1-65-773-3455 Tennessee 1-615-741-1346 Texas 1-877-782-7322 Utah 1-801-321-7207 Vermont 1-800-642-3177 Virginia 1-804-225-2632 Washington 1-360-753-7800 West Virginia 1-888-825-5707 Wisconsin 1-608-267-2206 Wyoming 1-307-777-6832 American Samoa 011-684-699-9155 Guam 1-671-735-2280 Northern Mariana Islands 1-670-234-6128 Puerto Rico 1-787-724-7100 Marshall Islands 011-692-625-3394 Republic of Palau 011-680-488-1464 Virgin Islands 1-340-774-4546