Sometimes, these main three types of college tuition assistance programs may seem very similar in many ways and this can often lead to confusion as to what you are looking at. Sometimes the three even seem to overlap and the differences become muddled in a quandary of minor differences or vague statements. The thing to remember is how the three differ in applications, interest accrued, and the repayment if required. That’s a big one in itself, the IF REQUIRED. Loans require a repayment at some point, Scholarships usually do not and most often evolve from private sources, and the Grant is a special funding program typically backed by a government entity.