Covering the Cost of College
Covering the Cost of College
It’s a fact: going to college can be expensive. Thankfully, there are plenty of resources to help you with the expenses and make sure your experience is rewarding — without thrusting you into deep debt.
First, if you are looking to apply for federal aid, you must make sure that you plan on being enrolled at least halftime to qualify for a loan. For undergraduate students, six hours is the minimum and for graduate students, five hours is the minimum, unless it’s summer which changes to three hours. Second, be aware of due dates! For financial aid to be available in time to pay toward your semester’s student account charges, please review the UGA Office of Student Financial Aid Important Dates section of the website.
Undergraduate and graduate students have different options when it comes to financial aid. Here are the basics broken down:
Undergraduate students:
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Federal Grants such as the Federal Pell Grant and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant.
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Scholarships such as the HOPE Scholarship or Zell Miller Scholarship for Georgia residents, or private scholarships through outside sources and UGA departmental scholarships.
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Federal Direct Student Loans including the Federal Direct Subsidized Loan, Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan and the Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan (for the parents of dependent undergraduates).
Graduate students:
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Graduate students may apply for two types of Federal Direct Loans – The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan and the Federal Direct Graduate/ Professional PLUS Loan.
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Graduate students may also apply for private scholarships through outside donors.
In addition to grants and loans students have other options as well, such as corporate assistance. Many people do not realize that their employers may have educational reimbursement programs available to them. If you are currently employed, ask your boss what your options are! Remember that military assistance is also available to those who have served or are serving. UGA is widely known for being military friendly, so check out the UGA Student Veterans Resource Center.
Scholarships are also available for both undergraduate and graduate students hoping for financial aid assistance. Beware though! Scholarship scams do exist and can be tricky. Here are several safe sites to check out:
See the Office of Student Financial Aid website for more information or contact us at (706) 542-6147.