- 1). Research the educational options available to you before seeking funding. If you intend to incur student loans, it's wise to make sure that classes that you take will lead directly to earning more money. Consider both your major and the school that you intend to take classes from before seeking funding.
- 2). Contact the online school that you'd like to attend and consult with a financial aid officer. While you can seek out sources of funding on your own, it's often sensible to discuss the matter with a school employee. He may be able to assist you in finding special sources of funding like scholarships that can assist you in paying for your chosen major. It'll also give you a better sense of what the full educational program will cost.
- 3). Apply for Federal Pell Grants if you're pursuing your first bachelor's degree. You will need to apply for the program in the spring before you begin your course of study. The Pell Grant program is widely available to all but the highest income students, and carries no grade point average requirement or other eligibility restriction.
- 4). Research appropriate scholarships for your major. The fact that distance learning tends to be less expensive than conventional college educations will make scholarships a more effective way to fund your education than it would be otherwise. Apply for the scholarships for which you qualify. Expect to be rejected for most of them, but keep working to maximize your chances of success.
- 5). Search the federal government grant website to find out if you qualify for any listed grants. In general, grants for education are primarily focused on providing education to minorities, women and for specific in-demand fields of study such as medicine.
- 6). Apply for student loans if you still require additional funding. Student loans can't be defaulted on, are nearly impossible to discharge in bankruptcy and are extremely difficult to renegotiate. Despite this, they can temporarily ease the burden of financing your education. Student loans should be utilized as a last resort for most.
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