College costs a lot of money. For many, it’s the high price of tuition that keeps them from completing a degree. Cost barriers for students from low-income backgrounds and adult students with low income are well known to those in the field of education. Many steps have been taken at not only the level of colleges and universities themselves, but at government levels to help address the issue of the high cost of a college degree.
It’s no surprise that many students seek out any and all free assistance they can to help cover the cost of tuition, and sometimes also books or room and board. Navigating the world of grants and scholarships can be very difficult, particularly if you come from a background where few people in your family, if any, have attended college themselves. If you’re looking for starting points to look for free assistance paying for college, including online degrees, we’ve got a list that can help you.
The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form is absolutely the best place to start if you’re looking for free help paying for college. Once you fill out this form and apply for colleges, the information on the form will be used to calculate how much federal aid you qualify for and also what aid you may be eligible for through your school. While you will need your parents to supply their income information if you’re under a certain age, the form is fairly straightforward and lots of help and advice on how to fill it out is available on the FAFSA website and elsewhere. Filling out this form is vital to finding help paying for school.
The Federal Pell Grant program is designed to help low-income students pay for tuition. It is a need-based grant which is awarded according to a number of criteria including income, tuition cost, and whether you’re a full or part-time student. The Pell Grant is awarded based on the results of your FAFSA application, so you can see how important it is to fill out your FAFSA.
Sallie Mae is most famous for helping low and middle-income families find affordable mortgages for their homes, but Sallie Mae also helps students looking for help paying for college. While they do offer student loans, they also have a clearinghouse for student scholarships. Sign up at the Sallie Mae website and you can quickly learn all you need to begin applying for scholarships right away.
4 – Your employer
Many large corporations offer help to employees seeking college degrees. While some companies talk about their programs often, some companies stay a little more quiet about them. If you have never asked about tuition assistance programs at your employer, it’s worth asking. Some employers even offer full tuition reimbursement in exchange for employees seeking degrees in certain areas of study or attending certain colleges.
