According to College Board, a year of tuition at a public four-year school in 1987 cost $3,190. Now, a year at that same school would cost $9,970. College prices are increasing, and going to school is more expensive than ever before. But that doesn't mean you have to resign yourself to borrowing hundreds of thousands of dollars to earn a degree. We at Student Loan Hero created this guide to a complicated financial aid system so that you know all your options and can make informed choices. I hope this encourages you to explore as many scholarship and grant opportunities as possible and navigate through the process of applying for federal and private student loans.

The financing of higher education is undergoing great change in many countries around the world. In recent years many countries are moving from a system where the costs of funding higher education are shouldered primarily by taxpayers, through government subsidies, to one where students pay a larger share of the costs. There are a number of factors driving these trends, including: A push for massification of higher education, in the recognition that additional revenue streams are required above and beyond those funds available from governments in order to achieve higher participation rates Macroeconomic factors, which lead to constraints on overall government revenues Political factors, which manifest in demands for funding of over services, thus restricting the funding available for higher (tertiary) education A concern that the returns to higher education accrue primarily to the individual, rather than to society, and thus students should bear more of the burden of paying for it This volume will help to contribute to an understanding of how these trends occur in various countries and regions around the world, and the impact they have on higher education institutions, students, and society as a whole. With contributions for the UK, USA, South Africa and China this vital new book gives a truly global picture of the rapidly changing situation

Updated to reflect the most current figures and information, this book gives parents and students the facts they need about financial aid for education. Described here are ways to shop for and get low-interest student loans, and how to find scholarship and grant sources--including many that aren't widely known.