Planning for college

Get started with college planning resources that can help every step of the way, from choosing the right college to prioritizing to-do's before graduation.

Featured articles

decorative image

How to optimize your college scholarship search

Getting college scholarships can be a challenging task for any student. Consider these tips to help you get the most out of your scholarship search.

decorative image

How to build your credit in college

Building credit in college could help with life after graduation. Learn how to get started.

decorative image

Ways to pay for college

What are the best ways to pay for your college education? Here's a quick rundown of eight tried-and-true strategies for solving the "paying for college" puzzle.

decorative image

How to compare financial aid offers

Deciding where you want to go to school can be stressful, and then there is the price tag. Learn how to decode and compare your financial aid offers.

decorative image

Ways to close the college funding gap

Didn’t receive enough financial aid and wondering how you are going to pay for college? Learn how to close the college funding gap.

Tools

College Match tool

Find the right college with the College Match tool, from the Citizens college planning platform, College Raptor®. Get college matches based on GPA, majors, location, test scores, and culture.

Citizens Scholarship

Win up to $15,000 with the Citizens Scholarship for college. High school, undergrad, graduate students and parents can enter to win. No purchase necessary.

Scholarship Search tool

Scholarships are a smart way to help pay for college. Search thousands of scholarships with the Scholarship Search tool from the Citizens college planning platform, College Raptor®.

Need funds for college?

With rate discounts and flexible repayment options, find the Citizens Student Loan™ that fits your life and budget.

Explore Now

More articles

How to prepare for college: The high school senior's guide

There's a lot going on during your senior year of high school. This guide to college prep will make sure you stay on top of those important college planning to-do items.

10 things to do after high school

What do you do after high school and before what's next? Read Citizens list of 10 things to do after graduating high school, before entering the next stage of your life.

Student banking and budgeting tips

Find out what to look for in a student bank account, how to bank wisely, and discover other banking and savings tips for students.

How to choose the right college

Are you struggling with your college selection? You're not alone!

Seeking financial aid? Start with the FAFSA

What is FAFSA? The FAFSA determines financial aid eligibility for federal student loans, grants, and work-study when savings aren't enough to cover college costs.

5 tips for having the college money talk with your kids

Talking to your kids about how you'll pay for college will help them understand what role they'll play in paying for school.

When should you begin applying for a private student loan?

When should you begin applying for private student loans? Learn more about tuition due dates and how quickly you need to apply to make payments to your school's payment deadlines.

A financial checklist for parents of a college bound teen

Ensuring your teen is financially prepared before college is a key investment in their future.

© Citizens Financial Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Citizens is a brand name of Citizens Bank, N.A. Member FDIC

* Citizens Scholarship: No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. The Citizens Scholarship Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the 50 United States, D.C., and U.S. Territories, who are 16 years of age or older, are students, or prospective students, or parents or legal guardians of students intending to enroll or enrolled at least half-time in an accredited undergraduate/graduate post-secondary institution. To be eligible for a chance to win the Citizens Building the Workforce of the Future Scholarship entrants must be from an underrepresented or a low-income community as described in the Official Rules. Sweepstakes begins at 12:00 AM ET on 7/1/24 and ends at 11:59 PM ET on 3/31/25. Sponsored by Citizens. See Official Rules for details.

College Raptor, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Citizens Bank, N.A. (Citizens).

Disclaimer: The information contained herein is for informational purposes only as a service to the public, and is not legal advice or a substitute for legal counsel. You should do your own research and/or contact your own legal or tax advisor for assistance with questions you may have on the information contained herein.