<p>Does a school ever allow a student to apply scholarships to their EFC loans such as a PLUS loan or will they take away all need-based assistance first, such as a school-funded grant? </p>
<p>In other words, the federally-subsidized loans would be taken away first, then federally-subsidized grants, then school-funded grants. Lastly, if additional outside scholarship money remains, then can it be used to reduced a PLUS loan that will cover the EFC? If the grant is funded by the school can it be the school's choice to leave the school-funded grant? </p>
<p>If the scholarship does not specify that it must be used the first year, can a student request that it be held by financial aid for a following year so that it doesn't affect this year's financial aid?</p>