Paying for College Degree

Candidates who are aspiring to pursue their college education after high school will have the looming question of how to fund their education facing them. Higher education is often the only way in which students will be able to find dream jobs or high-paying jobs in general. Candidates might also want to pursue higher studies to educate themselves in the field of their choice and eventually get into research. But all of this starts with choosing the right course and also the right way of procuring financial aid.

The few ways in which candidates will be able to pay for the degree are through scholarships from universities, scholarships from external funding bodies, competitions that have prize money, sports scholarships and even taking the work-study option offered by the Federal Student Aid. Though there are options of direct subsidized and unsubsidized loans that students can take, educational loans are often considered to be a burden that can leave the students in debt for years after their education.


Even though candidates may know about the kinds of aid they can receive, finding the right aid and understanding the application process can be a tedious task. The most common error made by the candidates is to start hunting for scholarships after applying to colleges while this has to be done way before applying for colleges just so that they can have a better chance at procuring the right scholarship.

Choosing the Right College

While most candidates aspire to go to the best college they can enter with merit, these colleges will most probably have a high cost of education. Those who require financial back-ups for pursuing higher education must also be on the lookout for colleges that offer the best scholarships or have a relatively less tuition fee. The criteria they can look out for are-

• Public Universities where a minimal tuition fee is charged.
• Universities in places with a low cost-of-living like the suburban areas and rural areas in the country to minimize expenditure.
• Universities offering Financial Aid even if it is need-based. Some may even offer them based on merit.
• Universities offering Scholarships designed for particular fields of study.
• Community Colleges

Approaching the Financial Aid Office in School

How students can look for financial aid includes approaching the financial aid office in their school and at the same time looking for scholarships available within their community. The financial aid offices in institutions are often inclusive of people who are knowledgeable in the field and have experience in procuring scholarships for students based on their academic merit and other factors.

Many organizations, like Phi Beta Kappa associations, have money available for local students aspiring to continue their education along with some businesses that provide money for candidates that are interested in going into specific fields. Constantly emailing available sources and doing phone inquiries will also be beneficial in finding the right scholarship. Persistence always pays off in the hunt for scholarships and grants.

The US Department of Labor has an extensive database, with over 7,500 scholarships, grants, and other types of financial aid. Candidates will be able to filter their search by keyword, level of study, and award type while viewing such databases, making their search easier.

Finding Scholarships for College

The easiest way to fund one’s college education is through a candidate’s parents. But this is not an accessible means of paying tuition for most candidates in the country. Though some do take a few years off to save for college tuition, this can make them lose a few precious years of their life when they could have excelled in their academics.

The process of finding a scholarship should start before the candidate starts applying to colleges. Most scholarships will be awarded to candidates as soon as they get admission to colleges which gives the candidates who apply late an extremely low chance of receiving similar scholarships. Students often focus on well-known scholarships that provide them with large awards but it is equally important to look for smaller scholarships that generally have lesser applicants and hence can easily be availed.

Scholarships and other competition-related awards often offer candidates amounts ranging from a couple of hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars in all. Candidates must aim for receiving more than one scholarship if they are opting for smaller scholarships. And though the awards provided by each of them might not seem like they will cover the entire tuition, it should be understood that the small amounts add up to decent sums that can help them through college.

Candidates can apply for Federal Student Aid by applying through the FAFSA where they will be able to avail themselves of scholarships and Grants like the Pell Grants which is offered at a national level. These scholarships are based on the financial need of the student and hence require a tediously long process to receive them. The small scholarships that different colleges and non-profit organizations offer might provide awards ranging between $50 and $500 but students will be able to avail themselves more than one of them thereby covering basic expenses they might have.

Scholarships in the Field of Study

The blanket search for scholarships will often be able to provide candidates with a lot of small-scale funding for their education, but at the same time, it is easier for candidates to procure scholarships that are specific to their area of study. Candidates who have figured out their field of major or degree of choice will be able to find scholarships for students in that very area which will often provide funds that correlate to the tuition fee the field generally has.

For example, the Clarkston Scholars Program provides Pennsylvania sophomores pursuing study in the life sciences with $10,000 scholarships to help pay for their junior and senior years. Information relating to such scholarships can be procured by surfing the internet and contacting alumni who might have had to avail similar scholarships. Candidates will also be able to approach their professors for information regarding the same.

Being a Teaching Assistant/ Research Assistant

Though it is uncommon for undergraduate students to serve as teaching assistants, some universities are open to this idea. After enrolling in classes, candidates will be able to inquire in their departments if they are willing to take up undergraduate students for teaching assistant positions. If they do not, candidates must persist in procuring research or lab assistant positions with their professors to earn money and experience in their field of study.

To increase the chances of grabbing one of these positions, candidates must keep their grades up and cultivate strong relationships with their professors. Without high grades, professors are less likely to consider candidates for a position that involves teaching other students or doing advanced research. A strong relationship with the professor will ensure that they choose the candidate in question when it comes to providing jobs. Candidates who are not so good at maintaining interpersonal relationships with professors can also email them inquiring about the job positions available without having to keep constant contact with them.

Work-Study Programs in Campus

Candidates who have received smaller scholarships and candidates who could not receive any scholarships for their studies will be able to earn money through working while studying. Universities often offer odd jobs for students looking to earn some money. These jobs can be both on-campus or off-campus. The jobs candidates can come up with in universities will include being a library assistant, or teaching or assisting professors in their field of study.

These opportunities are often listed out on the university’s official website. Most pages will have a student jobs section where they will post jobs that the students can apply for and the kind of payment they will receive. In case this section is absent, students will always be able to personally contact their librarian or book stores and email their professors regarding the job openings they might have. The on-campus jobs are one of the best options candidates can receive apart from full-paying scholarships since these will be accommodative of the candidate’s study schedules.