What financial assistance is available?
Do employers pay for tuition?
They often do. Check with your company's Human Resources department for more information. Also, make sure to ask if books and lab fees are covered.
Are scholarships available?
Yes, scholarships are available. Check the college websites and financial aid offices to learn more about specific scholarship availability. You can also utilize Peterson’s College Planner to access more than 1.6 million scholarships, grants and awards worth over $7.5 billion.
Is financial aid available?
Financial Aid is available in the form of grants and loans and can be funded through government, private or financial institutions.
Federal and State Grants. Grants do not have to be repaid. Federal and state grant programs include:
- The Pell Grant Program, which provides grants to low-income undergraduates.
- The Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) Program, which supplements Pell Grant and other aid to low-income students.
- The Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) Program, which provides states with grant money for college students.
Loans. Federal loan programs help students borrow money for college at reasonable interest rates, with flexible repayment options. Loans must be repaid. Federal loan programs include:
- The Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program makes loans available to students through about 7,100 participating private lenders.
- The William D. Ford Direct Student Loan Program finances federal loans to students. Students fill out one application and borrow directly from the federal government, not from a bank.
- The Perkins Loan Program provides low-interest loans to undergraduate and graduate/professional students who demonstrate financial need.
Additional Government Programs, including:
- The Hope Scholarship Tax Credit allows students to claim a tax credit of up to $1,500 per student for out-of-pocket tuition and fees. The credit is available for each of the first two years of classes toward a degree or certificate from a college or vocational school.
- The Lifetime Learning Tax Credit allows college students to claim up to 20 percent of qualified out-of-pocket expenses associated with earning a degree per year.
You may also consider other aid, such as veteran’s benefits. Check out Pay for College for additional scholarship searches, financial aid planners or to apply for a private loan.