Financial Aid: Definition, Examples, and Usage

Meaning 1：education funding (financial aid)

financial aid 🔊

/fɪˈnænʃəl eɪd/

Money given to help pay for education or living costs, often without needing repayment.

Student smiling at laptop with Financial Aid Approved notification

education funding 🔊

➕

/ˌɛdʒuˈkeɪʃən ˈfʌndɪŋ/

Monetary assistance provided to students to cover educational expenses, such as tuition, fees, and living costs.

📁 Category：School Education 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'finis' (end, money) + 'adjutare' (to help).

💡 Mnemonic

Think of 'Fin' as money and 'aid' as help: money help for students.

📖 Example

The financial aid from the university allowed her to focus on her studies without worrying about tuition. 🔊 She was able to concentrate on her studies, free from tuition worries, thanks to the financial aid from the university.

🔗 Collocations

apply for financial aid – to request monetary assistance for education

receive financial aid – to be granted monetary help for studies

financial aid package – a combination of grants, loans, and scholarships offered to a student

🔄 Synonyms

scholarship (n.) – A sum of money awarded to a student based on merit or need to support their education.

grant (n.) – A sum of money given for a specific purpose, often education, that does not need to be repaid.

subsidy (n.) – Financial support provided by an organization to reduce the cost of education.

🚫 Antonyms

expense (n.) – Money that must be paid out, such as tuition fees.

debt (n.) – Money owed, often as a result of borrowing for education.

🌱 Derivatives

financial (adj.) – relating to money or finance

aid (n.) – help or assistance, typically in the form of money

📖 Cultural Story

The term became prominent in US higher education after the GI Bill (1944), offering grants and loans to veterans and later all students.