Cooking School Financial Aid

Considering cooking school, but worried about the cost? Most cooking and culinary schools will work with you to help you find the money you need to attend their institution, using a combination of student loans, grants and/or scholarships. You may be surprised at what you can get just by asking.

Scholarships and Financial Aid Information

  • FastWeb.com - The most comprehensive web site for local, national and college-specific scholarships. Get a personalized list of scholarships you're qualified for from their database of 1.3 million awards. Use this excellent resource to get free money for your education.
  • FinAid.org  - A highly-regarded resource from financial aid expert Mark Kantrowitz
  • U.S. Department of Education - Financial Aid Resource Publications - The US Dept. of Education covers its three major financial aid programs, Pell Grants, Stafford Loans, and PLUS Loans, which account for 70 percent of student aid disbursed in the US
  • US News: Paying for College - Information, advice, and interactive tools for financing your education
  • $cholarship $cams - Sound advice from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission on how to avoid being cheated while trying to fund your education

Federal Aid

What is Federal Student Aid?

Federal Student Aid (FSA) is money available to eligible Americans from the federal government. FSA money is for education beyond high school and is available in several forms such as scholarships, grants, work-study programs, and loans. Federal Student's Aid's core mission is to ensure that all eligible Americans benefit from federal financial assistance.

How do I know if I'm eligible?

Eligibility for federal student aid programs is based on financial need and several other factors. Your eligibility is determined by the information you provide on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which you can find at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Basic eligibility requirements:

  • Demonstrate financial need (except for certain loans)
  • Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen with a valid Social Security number
  • Be working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program
  • Register (if you haven't already) with the Selective Service, if you're a male between the ages of 18 and 25
  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress once in school
  • Show, by one of the following means, that you're qualified to obtain postsecondary education:
    • Have a high school diploma or a GED Certificate
    • Pass an approved ability-to-benefit test
    • Meet other standards your state establishes that FSA has approved
    • Complete a high school education in a home school setting approved under state law

How do I apply?

You need to apply for aid each year you're at school. As long as you're enrolled, you can fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. After you fill out the form, the FSA committee will review your application and will be in contact with your school. Then your school will notify you of all the aid it can offer you, at which point you can accept or deny the aid.

TIP: Time is money!

Apply early and your chances of getting money (and more of it) will increase. As time passes more and more money has already been allocated -- leaving less available for those who apply late.