It doesn't have to cost a bundle to pursue a bachelors degree. Financial aid is available in different forms and can pay the difference between online college tuition and what individuals and families can afford. Some financial aid offerings are based on financial need, while others reward academic success or are designed to help specific demographic groups or those pursuing or furthering careers in certain fields. Financial aid for online college classes and pursuing an online degree is available in the form of loans, work study programs and scholarships, fellowships and grants. Scholarships, fellowships and grants for college specifically are near-outright gifts of money that can help make online college class enrollment and pursuing an online degree more of a reality.
The federal government is considered the largest financial aid provider. This year, the government expects to distribute more than $116 million in taxpayer money for college tuition assistance, according to the U.S. Department of Education Web site. Government assistance is offered through loans, work study programs and grants for college that are based on financial need. And this assistance can be available for telecommuting students planning to take classes that are part of recognized certificate or degree programs, a U.S. Department of Education brochure notes. Experts recommend ensuring that an institution is accredited, and many online colleges are.
Individuals interested in enrolling in online college classes and pursuing online degree programs can also look toward veterans, civic and non-profit organizations, large companies and labor unions that provide scholarships, fellowships and grants for college. A major soft drink manufacturer, through its Scholars Program, each year awards $3.4 million in academic-based stipends and scholarship grants for college to graduating high school students and those already enrolled in community college. The non-profit Ford Foundation offers academic-based graduate, dissertation and postdoctoral fellowships for those seeking to teach or research at the college level. The Los Padres Foundation helps Latinos seeking to further studies at the graduate and undergraduate levels. There are also scholarships, fellowships and grants for college for students studying biology, photography, accounting and more.
Scholarships, fellowships and grants for college have maximum per person limits and typically come with stipulations. Some Los Padres Foundation grants for college are primarily for students in the New York-New Jersey area or Puerto Rico. A Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) grant for college distributed by the federal government becomes a loan that must be repaid by recipients who don't fulfill teaching agreements. And grant money must often be repaid when online college students don't complete coursework.
The best way to determine government financial aid eligibility for online college classes and online degree programs is to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student (FAFSA). The form is available online, and completing it could be well worth the investment in time. The FAFSA results, delivered to applicants electronically, in addition to grant eligibility would advise applicants whether they qualify for loans and work study programs that help offset the costs of online college classes and online degree programs.
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