Despite the large number of Penn State students who struggle with college costs, it might be hard to believe that students might not apply for financial aid.

But according to a recent study conducted by the American Council on Education's (ACE) Center for Policy Analysis, many students who may be eligible for federal financial aid don't receive any because they simply don't apply.

According to the study, released Monday, during the 1999-2000 academic year, half of all undergraduates, or about 8 million students enrolled at institutions participating in federal student aid programs, failed to apply for financial aid.

According to ACE, the study examined data from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study: 1999-2000, the latest available data produced by the Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics.

The report also revealed that, of the 1.7 million low- and moderate-income students who did not file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), about 850,000 students were likely to have been eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, the main federal grant for low-income students.

Melanie Corrigan, ACE associate director of the center for policy analysis, said the report might make people more aware of what can be done to improve a student's ability to obtain federal financial aid.

"Universities, along with the federal government, need to work together to get the word out to students that aid is available for them, and not just for students that are particularly gifted or talented, or even low-income students, but for a wide variety of students," Corrigan said. "From a student perspective, the FAFSA form is often considered lengthy and complicated, but there are efforts underway to help more students obtain financial aid."