Can I Go to School Without a Job?

What is Financial Aid?

Students who are unable to pay for tuition and education related expenses in full apply to receive financial aid. Most colleges and universities offer financial aid programs to accepted students. To qualify, you must be able to prove financial need. Without a job, you can qualify for financial aid if you are considered an independent student. Dependent students qualify based on the income of their parent or guardian. Financial aid administrators award students with aid packages based on their level of need. Students with the most need usually get the most aid.

Attending school with no income is a challenge, but is not an uncommon circumstance. Many students enter college without jobs and rely on the support of family or financial aid to survive. If you are an adult student, you can save in advance of pursuing an education or rely on financial aid or scholarships to cover your living expenses. College tuition, room and board, books, lab and activity fees are common education related expense. Pursue financial resources from both your school and private organizations to maximize your resources.

Many financial aid packages contain student loans. Student loans help you afford the cost of school through a low-interest loan. If your student loan is more than the amount of your tuition, you can receive a refund check. There are no restrictions on how you spend your refund check. You can also receive a refund check if you apply to receive scholarships. Most scholarships are paid directly to the school, but once the amount of aid you receive exceeds your tuition costs the school issues a refund check. However, some scholarships restrict refund checks by requesting that your scholarship award be a supplement to existing aid rather than a flat amount.

Being in school with no job means living on a meager budget. Avoid the temptation of getting a credit card to cover your expenses unless you have substantial savings to cover the debt. Credit card companies often target college students, but without a source of income, a credit card can quickly lead to a mass of unpaid debt. The Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 prevents predatory lending to college students by requiring students under the age of 21 to verify income before approval. If you are an adult student, you may be offered a credit card even though you have no income.