Financial aid is assistance given to students and families to help pay for the costs of college that they cannot afford themselves. There are different types of aid including grants and scholarships that do not need to be repaid, work-study programs that allow students to earn money working on campus, and loans that do need to be repaid. The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is calculated through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and determines how much aid a student is eligible to receive based on their family's financial information and ability to pay for college.