I'm considering enrolling in an online college after graduation. Are there specific scholarships aimed at students attending online programs, or is funding mainly general for all types of colleges?
Absolutely! Students attending online college programs can definitely apply for scholarships. These can fall into several categories:
1. General Scholarships: These are not specific to online learners but are open to all types of students, both traditional on-campus and online. You're usually assessed based on your academic history, extracurricular involvements, and/or certain demographic factors.
2. Online College Specific Scholarships: Some online universities offer scholarships specifically for their students. For example, University of Phoenix offers a variety of scholarships to its online students with different eligibility criteria.
3. Organizations and Foundations: Many organizations/foundations offer scholarships specifically for online learning.
Research is key here, and spend some time searching for scholarships that you qualify for. When doing your research, remember to check the eligibility and deadline carefully. You may want to make use of scholarship search platforms like Appily, Fastweb or Scholly.
One tip to keep in mind is that some scholarships require a certain number of on-campus credit hours to qualify, so make sure to verify that the scholarships you're applying for are open to fully online learners.
Lastly, remember that federal financial aid is not exclusive to traditional colleges. You are still eligible to fill out the FAFSA and apply for government grants and loans, as long as the online program is accredited.
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