Affording College/Tech School
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Are you concerned with being able to afford college or tech school? Do you want to go to college/tech school debt free? Great! Below are useful links and tips for applying to scholarships to pay for education after high school. There are numerous scholarships available for every kind of student with every kind of dream and goal. Every student has the ability to pursue higher education without taking out loans. It does require work: you will have to read and understand the scholarship requirements, you may have to write an essay about your future plans, or complete an application. The money you earn from scholarships can save you money for the rest of your life compared to students who take out loans. You can learn more about money management from the Native Pathways website. Be patient with yourself and the process and don't give up!
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Tuition Waivers:
Some colleges waive the fees they charge for tuition for Indigenous students. That means the student will not be charged tuition fees. Students will still need to pay for room, board, books, meal plan, and any other fees the schools charge. The FAFSA/Pell Grant can help pay for some of those charges. The colleges may also grant students other financial aid based on their FAFSA application. Students must meet the admission requirements and be accepted into the university.
- Fort Lewis College. Located in Durango Colorado.
- University of Minnesota - Morris. As of 2019/2020 school year, students who want to transfer to the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities can do so without losing their tuition waiver.
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Low Tuition Costs:
Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU's): Most TCU's have low tuition rates. Schools like Haskell Indian Nations and Sinte Gleska University accept the FAFSA and Pell Grant, which means most tuition and fees are covered. In some cases, like with Haskell Indian Nations, housing fees are covered as well. Here is a list of TCU's. Check out each school to see if one is a good fit for you.
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FAFSA and Grants:
Grants are money students are awarded to use toward college tuition expenses. Use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form to apply online for grants and financial aid for college or tech school. To complete the application all online, both parents and students need to create an FSA ID. Students can complete and sign the application online and then print it out for parents to sign. There is also a 2020-2021 paper application that can be completed and mailed to the Department of Education for students attending colleges and tech schools during the 2020-2021 school year. You can find tips and answers to frequently asked questions on how to fill out the form at the FAFSA website.
As of 2020, students who are eligible for Pell Grant are awarded over $6,000 to attend eligible colleges and tech schools through the FAFSA application. Also, for most colleges and tech schools, students must apply to the FAFSA in order to receive any other financial aid.
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Scholarships:What are scholarships? Funds awarded to students that typically do not have to be paid back. Some scholarships come with requirements that you work in a specific state or complete a certain degree or program or you will lose the funding or be charged back for the funds that you used (for example, the Build Dakota Scholarship).The table below is provided to be helpful and the links worked the last time I checked them. If the link does not go to the correct page, do not use the link. The last link (Dean Chavers Foundation/Catching the Dream) is a helpful source of information for applying to scholarships. He will also review scholarship essays from seniors to help them earn as many scholarships as possible. Students who meet the eligibility rules for his foundation can receive personal coaching from Mr. Chavers for applying to scholarships. However, it is a complex process.In addition to the links below, students can check each college's website (or call their admissions office) to find out what scholarships they offer. Check this early since most of those scholarships have early deadlines.Scholarship Database Name
Link last available American Indian College Fund https://collegefund.org/ student-resources/ scholarships/additional- scholarships/ Sallie Mae Scholarship Database https://www.salliemae.com/ college-planning/college- scholarships/?lnkid=SM-PlanHP- getstarted-scholarships Indigenous Education Inc https://cobellscholar. academicworks.com/ Scholarships.com https://www.scholarships.com/ Jessica's Blog https://jlvcollegecounseling. com/scholarships/october- scholarships/ Dean Chavers Foundation https://www.catchingthedream. org/
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Schools with need blind admission who meet demonstrated financial need:
Some schools will admit students and cover most of the cost for enrolling at the school. Check out this list to see which schools meet demonstrated financial needs of students that are accepted. Many Ivy League Schools have need blind admission and cover most of the cost to enroll. Students applying to Ivy League schools need to submit a CSS Profile in addition to the FAFSA to gain access to all the funds needed to pay for school. Ivy League Schools are considered elite academic and athletic institutions.
