Student financial aid in the United States is funding that is intended to help students pay tuition, fees, living expenses (room and board, if living in college housing), transportation, books, and supplies for study at a post-secondary educational institution: a professional school, community college, four-year college, or university. General governmental funding in the form of subsidies for public education (not designated for an individual student) is not considered to be financial aid. Financial aid refers to awards to specific individual students. A scholarship is sometimes used as a synonym for a financial aid award, although grants and student loans are also major components of financial aid packages from students' intended colleges.