Washington, DC (NAPSI) - There’s good news for parents with college-age children. Investing the time and effort to find money for college can pay dividends when it comes to covering the costs of higher education.

That’s the word from experts who say that both public and private grants and loans are available but in order to qualify an applicant must meet certain criteria.

For instance, eligibility for certain private scholarships may depend on an ethnic, religious or professional affiliation. When it comes to securing grants and loans from the federal government, applicants must fill out a Federal Student Aid form, also known as the FAFSA form. This form is used to determine eligibility. It’s available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Young men 18 and older must also register with the Selective Service System in order to qualify for Pell Grants, College Work-Study, Guaranteed Student/PLUS Loans and National Direct Student Loans. Registration forms are at the post office and online at www.sss.gov.