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Grants play a much larger role in the typical financial aid packages of undergraduate students than those of graduate students, while graduate students are more dependent on loans. |
Percentages in Figure 10a are as a portion of the total amount of postsecondary funding described in Table 1, including nonfederal loans in addition to financial aid (grants, federal loans, tax credits and deductions, and Federal Work-Study). In addition to the sources included here, students rely on funds from their families and from their own earnings and savings, and borrow from other sources.
Download Excel for this figure. Download Excel for all figures and tables. This figure was prepared in October 2009. - From 2004-05 through 2008-09, grant aid has consistently constituted 44% to 46% of the
combined funds from all student aid and nonfederal loans for undergraduate students, and 31% to 32% for graduate students.More
- In the early 1990s, grants as a percentage of total aid for undergraduates declined,
primarily because of the introduction of unsubsidized Stafford Loans. Grant aid constituted 48% to 50% of aid used by undergraduates from 1995-96 to 2002-03.More
- Since 1998-99, work aid and tax benefits combined have constituted 5% to 7% of funds for undergraduate students, and 2% to 4% of funds for graduate students.
Also Important
- Both total grants and total loans increased significantly over the decade from 1998-99 to 2008-09, but loans rose more rapidly.
- For undergraduate students, total loan dollars increased by 108% ($34,853 billion in constant dollars over the decade). At the same time, undergraduate FTE enrollment increased by 30%, or 2.8 million students.
