Getting Paid for School: Tuition Reimbursement and Education Grants for Online Schooling

Written by: Kathy Foust • Edited by: Sarah Malburg
Updated Jan 18, 2011 • Related Guides: Online Schools | Scholarships | Student Loans

Finding ways to make money in this economy can be a genuine struggle. Why not find your light at the end of the tunnel by going back to school? This article demonstrates ways, including education grants, that you can make money and secure your future by going to school online.

How to Get Paid Just by Going to School

Who isn't looking for ways to make some extra money these days? The state of the economy has people in a panic. Sadly, most people aren't looking toward the future, but are focused on the here and now because survival itself is a struggle for most of us. However, there really is light at the end of the tunnel. You can meet your needs of today while pursuing the goals of tomorrow. How? Go back to school!

There are a multitude of education grants for online schools, such as the PELL grant and scholarships available to pay for school as well as books. And for once, being a member of the low income bracket works to your advantage! Some grants and scholarships are need based. What this means is that the less money you HAVE, the more money you are OFFERED.

Grants are sent directly to the school. Scholarships are either sent to the school or directly to you. Student loans are sent to the school. Once all the fees are taken out, the school sends you a check for the remaining amount. All you have to do is the schoolwork! It's not a bad deal when you consider that you are not only making some extra money, but working towards a degree that can secure your future.

Let's not forget that though some don't know it, if you are a student and have to cut back hours to make time to study, you may also qualify for unemployment benefits for hours lost. This applies even to online schools. Some unemployment centers even offer help by giving students gas cards to assist with travel costs. This even applies to online courses because students may have to travel for tests and to obtain supplies.

Going to school online offers an even more lucrative option. Consider what it would cost you outside of tuition and supplies to go to school. Perhaps you have to pay a sitter. You will also have to pay gas to get to a traditional school. Maybe you even need to rearrange your work schedule and end up with lost hours so that you can go to school. All of those problems are eliminated when you take your online courses. Though you will have due dates for your assignments, you do them based on your schedule. That means if you can't sleep at 2 a.m., you can get started on your next assignment! It doesn't get much better than that!

For information on state grants, go to your state's official website. Read more here for information on federal grants.

Kathy Foust Nov 25, 2011 4:31 PM

RE: Getting Paid for School: Tuition Reimbursement and Education Grants for Online Schooling

Jackson, Thanks so much for reading. However, I have to disagree with you. It is copletely possile to attend collge without getting any sort of loans. Moreover, if you DO have to get loans, their payments can be calculated based on your income. Since the goal of getting a degree is to make a viable living, I have o idea why anyone would be upset about having a loan payment of a couple of hundred dollars a month when it's likely that their salary increased by thousands a year. Also, there are numerous programs to have loans "forgiven". For instance, a public servant reaches potential for forgiveness after 10 years, a teacher has the potential to have $17,000 forgiven after 5 years. Student loans do help when you're trying to go to school and live a decent lifestyle as well, but they should not be the first avenue a student goes down. I personally have my schooling paid for through grants and scholarships alone, so I know for a fact it can be done. The problem is that too many students want to go to overpriced schools. They're going to get the same degree as someone who pays a fraction of what the overpriced schools charge. In point of fact, some of the best known online schools charge outrageous prices. I personally go to WGU Indiana, which has the most affordable program I know of, allows its student to move completely at their own pace and has more motivational programs than any school I've heard of. Please note, this is my 3rd college. One I went as far as I could with and had to transfer to get another degree, the next was a traditional school with a virtually no online classes and now I attend WGU Indiana...and grants and scholarhsips have covered the cost of all 3.

Jackson Andrews Nov 25, 2011 3:58 AM

online education, PELL grants and scholarships aside, will most likely be funded primarily by loans. These loans ultimately are guaranteed by the US government and the debt CANNOT be discharged through either Ch 7 or 13 bankruptcy (since the 2005 revisions to the Bankruptcy Act). Be VERY, VERY careful. Especially if you are young, you have no idea what a PRISON debt is. You'll be paying for up to ten (10) years: it affects your ability to be independent (I know people who pay several hundred dollars a month on their college debt). And make sure that you're educating yourself for something you can get a job in (like nursing for the gazillion of aging Boomers). A degree in philosophy, English, etc. will buy you only heartache. I'm not down on education (have 2 post-graduate degrees), but you need a REASON to go to school. This is not your parents' or grandparents' economy. The globalized world is a different animal. Make wise choices!

Susan M Wiseman Nov 5, 2011 4:18 PM

Dear Kathy, I am a 48 year old woman, with one 16 year old child. He is a special needs child, and I have a husband who works, and it is hard to meet ends meet. I would like to further my education, I attended college courses when I was very young. I am certified in the field of phlebotomy, not interested for different reasons. Am interested in law, I would like to study in the paralegal field. Need to further my education, in order to help my family, and this is of great interest to me. Any information you could provide me, would be of great help. Thank you, Susan M. Wiseman

High School Diploma Oct 20, 2011 6:34 PM

High school diploma generally believe that even the most entry-level positions of the minimum requirements and many people have discovered the advantages of obtaining a diploma online.

Trish S Oct 3, 2011 7:52 PM

Need help with a career path!

I have attended a Jr College to get my gpa back above 2.0.. I would like to take some online classes, but am unsure of what exactly peaks my interests! Can someone please lead me in the right direction of how to find exactly what im looking for... I'm a single parent, trying to better myself for myself as well as my daughter. I feel like taking classes, just to take them isn't helping me. Love to work with people, but don't see myself as the "nurse Betty" type. I also hate the sight of blood. I feel like I'm trying to find myself, but don't know what direction to go into. I know and admit that I am lost and would love to find something that interests me as well as supports me financially! Any ideas?

Sharon Apr 10, 2011 2:42 PM

collage

I got aid for school taken care of. My question is Why did I have to sigh away the extra cash? Is their some way to get a grant to help you get through collage?

Kathy Foust Feb 28, 2011 1:21 PM

Sarah..thank you so much for your input. However, I do want to reiterate to my readers that they can actually make money WHILE they go to school. Yes, of course they can make money once they get their degree, assuming there are jobs for them once they get their degree.
The fact remains that many students would not be able to go to school if they didn't see some kind of immediate financial reward simply because they couldn't afford to live AND got to school.
So, why didn't I go into more detail? Because every situation is different and I couldn't possibly tell ever individual where to seek financial aid because there is such a wide variety of options and circumstances.
I would not have written this article if I didn't know for a fact that it is possible to get paid to go to school. What I mean by that is that the student enrolls and later that same semester, receives a check. I really don't know how to put it any plainer than that and I speak from personal experience.
I cannot recant anything said here because I mean every word and I mean it literally.

Sarah Malburg Feb 28, 2011 11:59 AM

Re: Financial AId Rep

Please note that the author of this article is providing informational assistance in regards to what is available for financial aid for her readers. The actual intent of her article is to let students know that there are programs out there to offer financial assistance that will allow them to go back to school to obtain an education that will grant them the opportunity to make money in the future. It is sort of a play on words if you will. They CAN get scholarships that cover their entire tuition or grants for that matter, and WILL get paid after completing their degree; so YES, they ultimately DO get paid for going to school. The author does not state anywhere that this is the sole purpose for attending college, in fact, she does just the opposite. She is actually encouraging readers to go to school by letting them know that there are ways to manage financially and not to give up, as it will be a good investment for them.

In your profession, it should make you feel great to know that there are people out there who are interested in continuing their education, even though they fear they cannot afford it-regardless of situation. This would actually offer you job security and I feel that the author has assisted you in doing so by just helping to make the public "aware".

In addition, not ALL student loans have a 6.8% interest rate-personal loans depend on the student's financial/personal situation, so I ask you not to mislead as well.

In summary, please take a look at the other comments received on this article by other readers--they are in such need for help--they are crying out and it is people like Kathy (the author) and you who make their dreams come true--Lets leave it at that.

Thanks for reading and for contributing.

Sincerely,
Sarah Malburg

Kathy Foust Feb 28, 2011 10:43 AM

I appreciate your concern for readers, but this article is just the tip of the iceberg. Yes, students can actually get paid to go to school. And since the whole premise of getting a college education is to earn more money, why would it' matter if that's the only reason that they wanted to go to school? After all, the educational system is set up with the primary concern being test scores and money. Thats something they may as well grasp early on.
On a personal note, this article was intended for the audience of low income people who had heard rumors that they could get paid to go to school...which they can.
Imagine someone raising a child on something like $11,000 a year. With grants and scholarships alone they can receive a couple thousand back a semester. $2,000 back a year is already 20% more income than they had...let alone a semester.
So I will continue to write these kinds of articles in a manner that can help the people I'm concerned with most. People CAN get paid to go to school and it's not your place to pass judgement on them for it. Some people couldn't survive financially without going to school. As far as some of the private schools you mentioned...those are some of the most overpriced schools around and you literally COULD NOT pay me to go to one of those.
And...your students should not have to ask their DOE about any financial aid. They should be asking their financial aid representative because thats the job they get paid to do.

Anonymous Feb 26, 2011 11:32 AM

financial aid rep

As a financial aid representative, I would be more than happy to help students find additional funding, however they cannot come to school with the mindset that they will be getting paid to go to school. Unless the students, themselves, put in the effort to research priicng per credit hour, cost of the entire degree, scholarships (on websites such as fastweb.com), or grants (which you can ask your state's Department of Education about), they are extremely unlikely to go to school for free.
I, myself, have several thousand dollars in student loans out in additions to grants and scholarships that I received.
If you plan on going to school for free, or getting paid to do so, you had probably better plan to attend a community college or state school. Private, online schools such as University of Phoenix, Kaplan, etc. are expensive, and will require that you take out loans or make cash payments.

I am certainly not saying it isn't possible to go to school for free, re evern to "get paid" to do so, however you shouldn't mislead everyone by not including all the facts. I speak to misinformed students on a daily basis, and it is very disheartening that they only want to go to school for the money and do not care at all about learning anything or continuing their education.

Kathy Foust Feb 26, 2011 10:42 AM

Financial Aid Rep for an Online School

First, thanks for reading. While I do appreciate your input, your information isn't valid for everyone. Yes, some students will need to get student loans. And unless they find a loan forgiveness program (which by the way there are plenty of), they'll have to pay back their loans.

It's quite disheartening to read a financial aid rep being so discouraging about finding financial aid. Isn't that your job?

There's plenty of financial aid out there, even without student loans and plenty of scholarships as well. In fact, I personally have had more semester WITH scholarships (that I never had to write an essay for) than I have without scholarships.

While your information may be accurate for the school you work out, that simply means that either a)you haven't done the research that someone in your position should be doing or b)the school you work for doesn't offer much in the way of financial aid and I for one am happy not to be attending it!

For my other readers...a good financial aid conselour will help you find funds. In fact, when I expressed concern over my financial situation at my own school, they found viable resources for me THAT day and I'll be getting assistance without student loans.

Financial Aid Rep at an Online School Feb 25, 2011 5:58 PM

FALSE

This leave out A LOT of information. Please keep in mind that you will need to take out financial aid LOANS which need to be PAID BACK. I've seen plenty of students put themselves into thousands of dollars of debt taking out student loans. The money that is sent to you is from loans... YOU'RE NOT GETTING PAID TO GO TO SCHOOL. You're being loaned money, which will need to be paid 6 months after you leave the school or drop below half time status with 6.8% interest. Grants will only cover a small amount of the tuition. Sure you can get scholarhips as well, but that takes a lot of work- such as writing essays or taking quizes. Lots of people appply for them, and only a select few actually get them. Do research before you think that you can get paid to go to school, because that is untrue!

Anthony Winch Jan 31, 2011 1:22 PM

ged/hsed

would like a grant so i can go back n finish up with my ged/hsed online how do i go about signing up for that?

anthony clewis,jr. Dec 12, 2010 11:07 AM

on-line classes

i recently started on-line classes and am doing really well..but i need some help paying for the classes....

vincent k phiri Dec 11, 2010 6:23 AM

grant to pay school fess

james anastos
my name is vincent k phiri
im looking to go back to school and take
up accounting l need to study but the problem l had is fees so that is my requset to you to assist me about
fineancial aid to do so

james anastos Dec 9, 2010 11:16 AM

my name is james

im looking to go back to school and take
up telavision and broadcasting but i need
fineancial aid to do so

Deborah J. Wood Oct 26, 2010 9:04 PM

tired of being homeless! Iam disabled so I need a career I can handle.

I want to back to school, but I need money, so I was told I can get in a program that will not only pay for my schooling but help me keep my apt-home and my car!....HELP.....Iam tired of being kicked out of my homes and losing my belongings this has happen to many times 5 in the last ten years!

johnpaul dike Oct 15, 2010 12:22 PM

my dream in lfe

Dear sir/madam in Christ ,I wish to join hands with you, so i was searching for help the i found your contact and am very to contact a special person like u, so my name is johnpaul dike 19yrs old and am a Nigeria,i live in abidjan and am in the secondary school. i lost my father , so now am staying with my brother but he so old and now i have got a big problem, my brother has no requirements for me to go back for my studies, yet i still need to go back and fight for my future. so now am looking for support to go back for my studies.so am kindly crying for your help in the name of Christ to go back to school please, so with your mercy, i will be waiting for your reply. thanx very much and God bless

Kathy Foust Sep 20, 2010 9:59 PM

Thanks for reading! I really can't email you information. I don't have access to your email and I don't know your individual needs-only you do. Feel free to research more articles here on Brighthub that can help to answer your specific questions. Thanks :)Kathy

Tracy bates Sep 20, 2010 9:24 PM

I wanting to go back to school to get my high school Diploma, I am disable have been for 8years now.I really could use some extra money coming in especially raising one child thats almost 10.so I heard from a friend that you can go back to school and get payed to go,and i want to go back as soon as possiable,and like i said i could really use the extra money.so if this is true i would like to no more about how to get started,so please email me back as soon as possiable.thanks.

mwangala ronald Aug 20, 2010 5:19 AM

kindly asking for your help plz

Dear sir/madam in Christ ,I wish to join hands with you, so i was searching for help the i found your contact and am very to contact a special person like u, so my name is Mwangala Ronald 19yrs old and am a Ugandan,i live in Kampala and am in the secondary school. i lost both of my parents, so now am staying with my aunt but she so old and now i have got a big problem, my aunt has no requirements for mi to go back for my studies, yet i still need to go back and fight for my future. so now am looking for support to go back for my studies.so am kindly crying for your help in the name of Christ to go back to school please, so with your mercy, i will be waiting for your reply. thanx very much and God bless u.

Kathy Foust Aug 10, 2010 5:12 PM

I notice a trend in the requests here. Most of them are from people who just can't afford to school. I really want to stress here that all of the options I list in this article are invaluable to that end. Federal grants, state grants and some scholarships are all offered after you enroll in school and have completed your FAFSA. You will know exactly how much you will get in funds before school even starts. Measure the cost of your education against the funds you are offered to see how you stand. If all else fails, you can apply for student loans which have nothing to do with your credit and don't have to be paid back until you are out of school for 6 months or do not meet the minimum requiremets. I hope this helps! Kathy

Jennifer Aug 10, 2010 2:38 PM

Hi my name is jennifer smith

i am wanting to go to school but having two kids under the age of two isnt easy to do that and try and work but i heard that there are ways to get paid while going to school could you help me please??

Rachel Aug 2, 2010 10:25 PM

needing to get back to school

Hi my name is Rachel i am 18 and would reall;y like to go back to school. 3 months before graduation i had to move to colorado and have had troubles getting into a school to finish my senior year. I live on my own and cant find a job to get me back into school. I have goals and wishes jkust like any one else to go to school and grad and get my ged or diploma. I would love to go back to school and take classes that will help me reach my dream of becoming a doctor or writer. if any one can help me it would mean the world to me!! i would hate to see this dream go down the drain its been my dream since i was 5!!! please if u can please help me!!

chattergirl172000 Jul 13, 2010 8:02 PM

hey im a stay at home mother and i wanna go back to school i want to help people

ANTONIO GILL Jul 13, 2010 12:47 AM

want to do better

please help me do better for me and my kids

ANTONIO TEREZ GILL Jul 13, 2010 12:44 AM

please help me

I AM WORKING VERY HARD FOR A LITTLE BIT OF NOTHING AND I WANT TO DO BETTER

ANTONIO TEREZ GILL Jul 13, 2010 12:42 AM

want to better myself

I want to do better for myself because, I got kids and I want to do better for them.

Kathy Foust Jul 3, 2010 12:39 PM

Jamie-Rae,
I applaud your "non-optional" attitude. It's nice to see people be so motivate and steady on their course! Since the GED isn't an option, then you may want to consider the K12 option. I hope your efforts bring you the happiness you seek. Thanks again for reading! Kathy

Jamie-Rae Jul 2, 2010 3:26 PM

thank you for your response

yes i had considered a GED however i had planned on joining the marine corps maam and they as of 2 yrs ago no longer allow a ged as acceptance into the military... i have dreamed of serving my country since i was 9 this dream is non negotiable

Kathy Foust Jul 2, 2010 3:10 PM

Jamie-Ray,
Thanks so much for reading! Have you considered getting your GED? Another possibility that you could look into is K12.com. They are an online school that provides students with the materials they need and are able to issue diplomas. Once enrolled, you will be considered a student of the public school system, but you will do the work at home. Hope that helps a bit :) Kathy

Jamie-Rae hamilton Jul 2, 2010 2:56 PM

student seeking a texas high school online or otherwise free

i am 18 and had to move to texas from arizona state just 3 mos before i graduated.since then i have had difficulty tryin to find a school that will take me back so i can get my diploma.. i have goals and dreams like anyone else but keep gettin doors shut in my face theyre are some say free but its not really free i live w/ my parents and they are now unemployeed due to lack of work can someone plz help me?

Signed,student seeking a texas high school online or otherwise free

Kathy Foust Jun 4, 2010 12:23 PM

Ashley,

Thanks for reading! There are a variety of online schools that offer degrees. You may want to do some research and find out which ones offer what you need. Personally, I would look into community colleges. Many of them offer online classes. For instance, for my degree in education I only had to actually attend the school for two of my classes along with doing some observations in various classrooms. Community collges offer low tuition rates and often offer scholarships of their own. Project TEACH also has a scholarship that pays the tuition for you as long as you go part time and maintain a good grade standard. Therefore, if you meet the requirements for PELL and your own state grants, with project TEACH paying for the actual schooling, you would have cash back every semester. I hope this informaiton was helpful to you. Please check out the article here on scholarships for online learners as well so that you can be fully informed! Thanks again, Kathy

Ashley Jun 4, 2010 11:25 AM

stay home mommy wanting to teach

Hi, my name is ashley. I live in Oklahoma. I am wanting to get my CDA. I want to be able to teach at a day care. i'm a stay at home mother of 2 with only 200 coming in every month, i need info on what schools/websites that offer CDA certified training online that i can do and be able to get PELL GRANT for it. I dn't want to take out a loan or worry about paying back money. I NEED HELP! cAn AnYoNe HeLp?

Kathy Foust May 11, 2010 6:22 AM

The first place to start is always going to be filling out the FAFSA. This is the document that determines how much you qualify for in state and federal loans and grants. Next, you'll want to apply to the school of your choice and discuss other financing options with the Financial Aid department. Don't forget that some schools have their own loans and grants to offer. www.FAFSA.ed.gov. Thanks for reading! Kathy

Jc Clardy May 11, 2010 12:19 AM

need some help

i REALLY need help trying to find grants to go to school, i havent attended college ever..i recently went back to school to get my diploma and i got it, now i need college. i am currently unemployed and NEED grants, and cant afford loans..where can i go to apply for a grant? i would prefer to take an online course. in either video game design OR car repair and detailing/fabrication. i would just love for someone to point me in the right direction on how to obtain either state or federal grants. Please help!

Terry Williams May 10, 2010 4:59 PM

thank you please send me what i need

deneen harrison May 7, 2010 8:23 PM

management

i have a 8 hour job that is killing me and i feel as though i want to get into school to take up a trade that i enjoy doing and were the work is appreciated. i am deneen harrison 45 years of age i am looking for a better job with great pay.

Laurie Patsalides Apr 19, 2010 10:51 AM

Scholarships for Online Students

Remember to check out Bright Hub's articles about scholarships for online students.

http://www.brighthub.com/education/online-learning/articles/32752.aspx

Brandi Starcher Apr 19, 2010 10:45 AM

any grants

I am currently attending an online school. I am only getting loans and would like to know if there are any grants that I can get and how I would find out and apply for them. I have VERY low income,I am married and have two toddlers. I do not want to keep taking out loans if I can receive grants.

jack Mar 31, 2010 5:35 AM

want to take some classes

can i get grant,or grants to help,home bound,thanks

Kathy Foust Mar 22, 2010 10:52 AM

Grants

James,
Thanks for reading! Ask your school of interest if they accept financial aid, then go to www.fafsa.ed.gov and fill out the FAFSA. Once the FAFSA is processed, you will get an SAR (Student Aid Report) that will tell you how much they expect you to contribute. The amount you are expected to contribute depends on your information from the previous year's tax forms. Let's assume for the sake of argument that your EFC (expected family contribution) is "0". That means that you wuold qualify for all available aid.

A couple of things to note; Some online schools don't accept financial aid, but this is pretty rare. Be sure to check with your school. Also, it's passed the deadline to file. All this really means is that you wouldn't qualify for any state grants, so you may want to find out if your school has any grants to supplement that fact.
My suggestion is that you file for year 2009-2010 as well as 2010-2011. This way you may be able to start school this summer!

James Marion Lusk Mar 22, 2010 10:06 AM

Getting a grant

I worked in a mill for 17 years. The mill closed for overseas relocation. I entered the WIA program. I took a job for 7.80 an hour compared to 14.87 at the plant. The plant closed in 2006. I quit the low paying job. I am now out of work, on foodstamps and medicaid. Can I get a grant or WIA money to attend an online schoo. The School is CBT Direct in Florida. They will help me get either IT Training or Master Mechanic Certification plus a job in my home area. I really want to do this, because I drove 22 miles every night for 7.80 an hour. I could make twice this amount only three or four miles from home. Thanks
James Marion Lusk

THAPELO MAFATSHE Feb 13, 2010 9:21 AM

CHEF SCHOOL

I 'M LOOKING FOR CHEF SCHOOL ONLINE I CAN'T GET THERE GOOD JOB BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE TOP HIGH CERTIFICATE AND I LIKE BE A CHEF ON HIGH POSITION .MY DREAM

Laurie Patsalides Jan 19, 2010 8:45 PM

Dawn Smith

Hi Ms. Smith,
Thank you for your feedback! We will have some information regarding a certification as an Administrative Assistant on the site very soon!
Thanks again,
Laurie Patsalides

Dawn Smith Jan 19, 2010 8:26 PM

Admistrative Assistant

I'm looking for a school online I have two kids one is 3 months old and don't have the time to get away from home.

Getting Paid for School: Tuition Reimbursement and Education Grants for Online Schooling

How to Get Paid Just by Going to School

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