Returning to School After Your Injury
Returning to School – Ways to Pay for College
Although most colleges expect you to contribute to your educational expenses, financial aid can assist you in covering the costs. Financial aid can help pay for tuition and books, as well as the student related costs of rent, food, transportation, and other living expenses. You do not have to attend school full time to be eligible for financial aid. Also, you do not need to be a U.S. citizen to go to college or receive similar job training. U.S. permanent residents and eligible non-citizens can qualify for both federal and state aid. If you are unemployed and/or receiving government benefits, you can still apply for financial aid.
The following is an overview of the financial aid services available to you as a student. There are many options on hand to finance a college education after you have been injured, including support from grants, loans, scholarships, work study, tax benefits, jobs that help you repay loans, Community Colleges, CLEP, and vocational rehabilitation.
- GRANTS
Grants are money that you don’t have to pay back and are based on financial need. They can be used for tuition and fees at public and private colleges as well as some technical schools.
To qualify for a Cal Grant, you must be a U.S. Citizen or eligible non-citizen, be a California resident when you graduated from high school, have a social security number, demonstrate financial need, and have a family income below a set ceiling. You do not need to be enrolled in school full time to receive Cal Grants, so you could take a few classes and still receive aid. To apply for a Cal Grant, visit http://www.calgrants.org/index.cfm?navId=22.
You may also qualify for a Federal Pell Grant if you demonstrate financial need, are a US citizen, have a valid social security number, and have a high school diploma, GED, or demonstrate ability to benefit by passing an approved test. You can still be eligible for a Pell Grant if you are eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) with no effect on either program. Pell Grants range up to an award of $5,550.
The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant is awarded to students that demonstrate the greatest need for financial aid. They are administered through school financial aid offices. If you are eligible you will be contacted by your school’s financial aid department.
To apply for a Cal Grant, Pell Grant, or any other type of financial aid, you MUST complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. If you do not have access to the internet, you can request a paper FAFSA at 1-(800) 4 – FED – AID. All forms are available in English and Spanish.
Though these are the most common grants, additional awards exist for those who are eligible. Click here to see a complete list of available California Aid.
- SCHOLARSHIPS
Scholarships are another type of aid that can be used to pay for school and do not have to be repaid. Scholarship awards vary from paying for books to paying for tuition, and they can come from a variety of sources such as schools, labor unions, individuals, private companies, religious organizations, foundations, and more.
Each scholarship has its own deadline and requirements which usually include essays or interviews. The internet is a good tool for finding scholarship offers, however, when using the internet, be aware that you should never have to pay when applying for a scholarship.
The following websites allow users to browse for free scholarships:
Financial Aid and Scholarship Wizard
- LOANS
If you do not receive enough free money to pay for college and you are not able to cover the additional costs of education, you may apply for federal student loans. There is NO credit check for need based loans.
Stafford Loans are the most common type of student loan and you only need to be enrolled part time to qualify. On subsidized federal loans, the federal government pays the interest while you are in school and during a six-month grace period after you graduate, leave school, or are enrolled less than part time. On unsubsidized federal loans, you can defer interest payments while you are in school at least part time.
Perkins Loans are low interest loans for students with great financial need. The government pays the interest while you are in school and you have up to 9 months after you leave school to start paying interest.
The William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, or Direct Loans, allows eligible students to borrow directly from the U.S. Department of Education and includes subsidized and unsubsidized loans. You can choose from several repayment plans and can switch plans depending on your needs.
Many lenders also offer loans if you do not receive enough federal loans to cover the cost of education. Private loans usually have higher interest rates and fewer benefits, so you should look into using federal loans first.
To apply for federal loans, you MUST complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. You will be notified by the educational institutions you provide when filling out the FAFSA of your loan eligibility.
- JOBS THAT HELP YOU REPAY YOUR LOANS
Some jobs will help you pay down your loans in addition to earning a paycheck. You can obtain additional information about these programs by contacting the institutions you are interested in.
Your federal Perkins loan debt may be cancelled if you work full time as a nurse or medical technician. If you work as a health care professional in an understaffed area, the federal government may forgive your loan. More information can be found at The US Dept of Health and Human Services or HRSA Health Professions.
If you work as a child care provider at a specified site, your federal Perkins loan debt can be cancelled.
If you work as a teacher in a school that has been identified as meeting established criteria and in an identified subject area, you may qualify to have your Perkins loans forgiven. Visit The California Student Aid Commission or Fin Aid for additional information.
- TAX BENEFITS
You may be able to take advantage of educational tax benefits when filing your taxes. View IRS Publications 970 to learn more about IRS 970 Tax Benefits for Education.
Hope and Lifetime Learning tax credits allow you to subtract a portion of the costs of education from the taxes you owe each year.
Tuition and Fees Tax Deduction and Student Loan Interest Deduction tax credits allow you to subtract a portion of your tuition and fees from your taxable income and deduct up to $2500 of the interest you pay on your student loans.
- WORK STUDY AND STUDENT EMPLOYMENT
Under the Federal Work Study program, students may work part-time either in community service or course related concentrations while taking classes to earn money towards educational expenses. The program is available to both part-time and full-time students and is run by your school.
Students will be prompted to apply for work study while completing the FAFSA and will be notified by the schools they list of their eligibility.
- COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Choosing to attend a community college can save thousands of dollars in tuition costs while completing general education credits. You can still receive financial aid to cover fees, books, and living expenses.
You will not pay enrollment fees at a California Community College if you are a California resident and fall under one of the following categories:
you are eligible for need based financial aid –OR-
you receive CalWORKs/TANF, SSI, or General Assistance –OR-
your family income falls within set standards –OR-
you fall into a special classification including dependents of veterans.
If you meet the above criteria, you MUST apply for the Board of Governors Fee Waiver. Print and fill out the form, and return it to the Community College you plan to attend. In addition you must fill out the FAFSA and be prepared to show proof of income. The Fee Waiver is also available in Spanish.
There are several community colleges throughout Contra Costa and Alameda County. For a list of local community colleges, refer to the County School List.
- COLLEGE-LEVEL EXAMINATION PROGRAM (CLEP)
The College-Level Examination Program allows students to receive credit for what they already know by meeting a set score on any of the 33 offered examinations. You may earn credit for things you have learned through prior course work, self study, job training, professional work, and more.
Passing a CLEP test can earn you anywhere from 3 to 12 college credits depending on your college’s policy. The cost of the exam is $72 which is only a fraction of the cost of equivalent classes. Passing the tests will allow you to skip introductory classes and progress towards your degree more quickly.
Use the CLEP college search to find out if your institution accepts credits. For a list of offered tests, view the College Board CLEP exam descriptions. If you would like to register to take a CLEP test, contact the CLEP test center in your area. Click here for a list of CLEP test centers.
- OVER SIXTY PROGRAM
Some schools offer programs for those who would like to return to school and are over a certain age. California State East Bay offers fee waivers to those 60 years of age and older taking classes or pursuing their degree. To apply, you must the Requests for Fee Waiver for California Residents Sixty Years of Age or Older.
Note: If you are a student with disabilities, you may face additional expenses such as special equipment, services for personal use or study, transportation, and medical expenses. You should alert the financial aid administrator at your college of any disability-related expenses you currently have, and they will assist you with aid adjustment and on-campus low-cost ideas and solutions.
Options for Moms Looking to Return to School
If you are a mother looking to return to school, there are financial aid options available to help your transition. Pell Grants are typically the best grant option for women with children. They offer up to $5,550 for educational costs, and do not have to be repaid.
If you are both a parent and student, you may also be entitled to financial aid to help with child related expenses through the CalWORKS California Community College division. If your child’s other parent is absent from the home or deceased, or if your spouse if physically or mentally disabled, unemployed, or working less than 100 hours a month, you may be eligible. Contact your county social services office for more information.
Many colleges offer child care services and instructional programs on campus for children of students. Contact the institution or access the institutional website for more information.
Several financial aid sources are allocated to women specifically. The Talbot’s Women’s Scholarships are created for women that received their high school diploma, but for different reasons never made it to college. If you are 10 years out of high school you are eligible for up to $10,000 for school. Click here for more information. The AARP Foundation Women’s Scholarship Program offers scholarships to women over 40 who want to return to school for a degree or additional workforce training. More information is available at The AARP Foundation. The Jeanette Rankin foundation and Possible Women foundation offer scholarships for women. You can browse additional information on women’s scholarship can be found at CollegeScholarships.com.
Adult School
Adult schools offer numerous classes to individuals 18 and older who are interested in continuing their education. Students can work towards a high school diploma, prepare for the General Education Development (GED) test, or learn job skills in computer or medical fields.
Many adult education schools offer English and citizenship programs for students learning English as a second language. Some schools can even accommodate off-campus classes for seniors and adults with disabilities and offer online classes that can be completed at home.
Contact your local adult school for more information. Refer to the County School List to locate your local adult school.
