Other Ways to Pay for College

Ideas on How to Pay for College

Community Service

Corporation for National & Community Service
AmeriCorps & VISTA

The Corporation for National and Community Service oversees a group of community service organizations, including Americorps, Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA), Senior Corps and Learn and Serve America. Together these programs employ more than 2 million Americans of all ages and backgrounds in community service projects each year.

AmeriCorps is a network of national service programs that employ about 50,000 people a year to meet critical needs in education, public safety, health, and the environment.

Members serve through more than 2,100 nonprofit groups, public agencies, and faith-based organizations. They tutor and mentor youth, build affordable housing, teach computer skills, clean parks and streams, run after-school programs, and help communities respond to disasters.

VISTA helps bring communities and individuals out of poverty. Nearly 6,000 VISTA members serve in hundreds of nonprofit organizations and public agencies throughout the country, working to fight illiteracy, improve health services, create businesses, increase housing opportunities, or bridge the digital divide.

As a way to pay for college, for full time service for a term of one year ( or less) in these organizations, you may become eligible for an educational grant of up to $4725. Working part time, you can still receive a partial reward.

Peace Corps

Currently over 7,533 Peace Corps volunteers are serving in 71 countries, working to bring clean water to communities, teach children, help start new small businesses, and stop the spread of AIDS.

Volunteers receive intensive language and cross-cultural training to become part of the communities where they live. They speak the local language and adapt to the cultures and customs of the people with whom they work.

A stint in the Peace Corps will allow you to defer repayment of your Federal Stafford, Perkins, PLUS, or Direct Loans and you may also be eligible to have all or part of your Perkins Loan forgiven because of your Peace Corps service.

National Defense Education Act

If you become a full-time teacher in an elementary or secondary school that serves students from low income families, you can have a portion of your Perkins Loans forgiven. You need to contact your school district's administration to see which schools qualify under this program.

Federal Work Study Program

The Federal Work Study Program provides jobs to students with financial need, allowing them to earn extra money to help pay for college. The program encourages community service work and work related to your studies.

If you qualify, your salary will be at least the current federal minimum wage, but it may be higher, depending on the type of work you do and the skills required.

Your total work study award depends on your application date, your level of need, and the funding level of your school.

The hours you will work will be determined by the amount of the work study award. The job can be on campus or off.

Internships & Co-Op Programs

Some companies offer internships to students at nearby schools. These jobs allow you to become familiar with particular industries or job positions. The company may either pay you or offer a scholarship in return for your work.

Co-Op programs allow you to earn educational credit for work experience. This is a way to reduce you over-all college expenses and earn money to pay for college, while you learn a new career.

The guidance counselors at your college can tell you if internships or co-op programs are available at your school.

Military Service & The Military Academies

If you serve a full tour of duty in any of the branches of the Armed Forces, you can be eligible for educational grants of up to $50,000. If you serve in the Reserves, this is cut to $24,000, still a substantial figure to help pay for college.

If you choose to go to college before going on active duty, you can join the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) . You may be eligible for a merit based scholarship of up to $50,000 in return for a 3 or 4 year service commitment, depending on the branch of service.

Even if you don’t qualify for the scholarship, the ROTC program pays a small monthly stipend you can apply toward you every day living expenses.

You can also apply for admittance to one of the Service Academies. If accepted you will receive full tuition, uniforms, room and board, plus a living allowance. In return you have to commit to a five year tour of active duty.

The military academies are prestigious schools and their degrees carry quite a bit of weight. However, the experience is much different from a normal college, with heavy emphasis on physical fitness, discipline and military studies, so this is not a option for everybody.

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