Scholarships: Scholarships are free money, and are either merit-based or need-based. For more information about scholarships, click here.

Free Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA): The FAFSA is an application that captures a snapshot of you and your family's financial situation. It is used to determine how much financial aid you may qualify for. It is required to apply for federal student aid such as federal grants, work-study funds, and loans. FAFSA Help Days will be held at the high school throughout the year, and these dates will be given at Senior Meetings. In addition, Iowa Central's Financial Aid Office will assist anyone, regardless of what college a student plans to attend, in completing the FAFSA.

Before you can fill out the FAFSA, both students and a parent must create their FSA ID. Parents may already have an FSA ID if they have an older child who they have already created one for, or if they used it for their own FAFSA application. It's best to create your FSA ID at least one week prior to when you plan to file out your FAFSA.