Understand education grants, then plan how to pay.
Grantilo is a free information site about grants, scholarships, and financial aid. We explain how they work in plain language and share general ways students and families can manage the cost of college. No pressure, no promises of money, always your choice.
Grantilo is not a government agency and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or FAFSA®. Grants and scholarships are not guaranteed.
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Three simple steps
From "where do I even start?" to "I know what to look into."
Tell us what you need
Share your name, contact details, ZIP code, where you are in your education journey, and what you'd like to learn about. It takes about two minutes.
Choose how to hear from us
Pick email, text messages, or both. Text opt-ins are optional, separate, and unchecked by default.
Get information, then decide
Get plain-language information about grants, scholarships, and college costs. You decide what, if anything, to do next, and you apply directly with each school or organization.
Six terms worth knowing
General summaries. Each program's official rules and your school's financial-aid office always control.
Grants
Gift aid that generally does not have to be repaid. Grants may come from the federal government, states, colleges, and private organizations, and are often based on financial need, though not always.
Scholarships
Awards often based on merit, field of study, background, activities, or other criteria set by the provider. Each one has its own eligibility rules, application, and deadline.
FAFSA®
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is the form many colleges and states use to consider federal and some state and school aid. It is free, and it is filed with the federal government, not with Grantilo.
Work-study
A program that lets eligible students earn wages through part-time jobs, usually on or near campus. Earnings are paid as you work and are not a lump-sum award.
Student loans
Borrowed money that must be repaid, usually with interest. Federal and private loans have very different terms, so it helps to read the details before accepting any.
Cost of attendance
The full estimate of what a year of college can cost: tuition and fees, housing, food, books, transportation, and personal expenses. It is often higher than tuition alone.
A bigger award isn't automatically a better deal
An aid offer can mix grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans into a single total. A large total made mostly of loans costs more later than a smaller total made of gift aid. To judge an offer fairly, look at each part separately.
- How much is gift aid you don't repay
- How much depends on a job you must work
- How much is a loan, and its interest and repayment terms
- What you must do each year to keep it
Built to be straightforward
Plain language, no pressure
We explain grants, scholarships, and aid terms without jargon or hard-sell pushes.
Know what each type of aid means
Learn the difference between gift aid, work opportunities, and loans so you can read an aid offer with confidence.
Deadlines worth knowing
Aid and scholarship deadlines vary by school, state, and provider. We explain what to look for and where to confirm dates.
Your data is respected
We don't sell your information or share mobile numbers for marketing.
Leave whenever you like
Reply STOP to any text or use the unsubscribe link in any email. No hoops.
Free to use
Grantilo never charges you. We'll never ask for payment details.
Information service, not a funding source
Grantilo does not award, offer, or process grants, scholarships, or loans, and we don't submit applications for you. We don't pass your details to schools, lenders, or other third parties. You never pay us.
- No guarantees of grants, scholarships, or savings
- Information only, no sales pitches
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Short, useful, never pushy
If you opt in to text messages, you'll get brief updates from Grantilo. Informational and promotional texts are separate choices, so you only get what you asked for.
- Message frequency varies (up to about 8 a month)
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Questions people ask first
What is Grantilo?
Grantilo is an information website for students and families. We explain education grants, scholarships, FAFSA, and other ways to manage college costs in plain language, and let you opt in to updates by email or text. We are not a government agency, school, or lender.
Is Grantilo part of the government or the FAFSA?
No. Grantilo is a private information service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, FAFSA®, or any state or federal agency. The official FAFSA form is free and is available only from the federal government.
Will I get a grant or scholarship?
We can't promise that. Whether you qualify depends on the organization offering it and on factors such as financial need, academics, school, field of study, and deadlines. Grantilo does not guarantee any grant, scholarship, aid, or savings.
What is the difference between a grant, a scholarship, and a loan?
Grants and scholarships are generally gift aid that you do not have to repay, while loans are borrowed money that must be repaid with interest. Work-study lets you earn wages. See the Grants guide for more.
Ready to explore your education funding options?
Tell us a little about yourself and what you'd like to learn. It's free, there's no obligation, and you can opt out of texts any time by replying STOP.
