This publication presents a basic summary of student financial assistance programs provided by the federal government and explains how to apply for them. It begins by reviewing sources of information about student aid. A general information section covers student eligibility, financial need, dependency status, applying, special circumstances, withdrawals, deadlines, and the Federal Student Aid Information Center. Next, specific types of federal aid are explained. These include: federal Pell Grants; Direct and Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL) and Stafford Loans; PLUS loans (Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students), including Direct PLUS Loans and FFEL PLUS Loans; consolidation loans, including both Direct and FFEL Consolidation Loans; and campus-based programs, including Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Federal Work-Study, and Federal Perkins Loans. The next section discusses borrower responsibilities and rights. A final section explains important terms. The publication also offers lists of frequently requested telephone numbers and Web sites related to student financial aid and a list of state agencies and their telephone numbers. (SM)