Pay for College or Medical School Without Much Debt

Pay for College or Medical School Without Much Debt Student Resources Print How Pay for College or Medical School Without Loans By Andrea Clement Santiago facebook twitter linkedin Andrea Clement Santiago is a medical staffing expert and communications executive. Shes a writer with a background in healthcare recruiting. Learn about our editorial policy Andrea Clement Santiago Updated on February 02, 2020 Henrik Sorensen / Digital Vision / Getty Images More in Student Resources APA Style and Writing Study Guides and Tips Careers While some medical careers are available with high school or undergraduate education, becoming a doctor or advanced practice nurse requires many years of post-secondary education. You may be wondering what options there are other than student loans, which may take many years to pay back. Loan-Free Ways to Finance College or Medical School Here are some additional resources for financing your undergraduate or medical schooling that won’t bury you in debt: Scholarships:  You don’t have to make top grades to get a scholarship, although there are more options for those who do. Scholarships are offered for a variety of factors in addition to academic performance, such as minority status, your field of study, or even overcoming adversity. Academic institutions are not the only organizations that offer scholarships. Check with local corporations, your bank, your local utility companies, your parents employers, even your church, to see what scholarships are offered, and how to apply. Sometimes its as simple as filling out a form and writing an essay or meeting other circumstantial requirements.Grants and Awards:  Check with your university or medical school to see what awards are offered. Alumni will often set up awards for students who meet certain criteria including anything from grades, athletics, volunteer work, to whatever the grantor wished to recognize with the award. Additionally, if you come from a low-income family, you may quali fy for federal grants to help pay for your education.Military:  The military will pay for your health career and help you get the required training if you’re willing to serve the country for a few years in return. The amount of education you receive will determine the number of years you have to “pay back” in service, meaning active military duty.U.S. Health Service Corps: This is a great way to fund your medical education if you’re seeking to be a physician or nurse. The National Health Service Corps is a government program that will pay most or all of your tuition in exchange for 2 to 4 years of service in a medically underserved area of the country. If youre willing to relocate to a more rural area to work for a few years, this could be an excellent option.Employer Reimbursement:  Hospitals  that employ nurses or doctors will often offer student loan forgiveness as part of their financial package. Therefore, if student loans were your only option on the front end, and you ended up graduating with a load of debt, your new employer may be able to help alleviate some of that financial burden. Other Ways to Minimize Tuition Costs If for some reason the above aids do not apply to you, or if you need to minimize your tuition costs even further, there are additional ways to save thousands of dollars on your college costs, if you plan ahead and make smart educational decisions while in high school and college, including: Consider putting college off for a year or two and working full-time to save money for your tuition.Work either full- or part-time and go to school full- or part-time while paying for classes as you go. Many schools will give you a bit of a discount for paying cash.Start with a two-year degree at your local community college, which is typically much cheaper, and then transfer to a four-year university.Consider going to college overseas. In some countries, Americans can attend college for free.