Student Loan Options for the Part-Time Grad Student | 05.04.10

Posted in Graduate Loans by Evan Jacobs

If you already have a full-time job or are raising a family, going back to college isn’t easy. You might need to limit your coursework and only take one class per semester. Unfortunately, that also means you are likely ineligible for federal student aid.

If you are not in school at least half-time, you can’t receive federal loans. Many graduate schools consider either 12 or 9 credits to be full-time, so if you are only taking 5 credits in a 12-credit full-time program, you can’t get a Stafford loan. So now what?

As an undergrad would, you should start by looking for scholarships. Scholarships are the best way to pay for school because they are essentially free money. Visit Student Scholarship Search or Scholarship Points to get started. Use the code: PTGRAD.

You might also need to cover some of the costs of grad school with a private student loan. There are a number of private loans tailored to grad students. To see if you qualify, visit our private loan comparison tool.

Chances are if you are only able to go to school part-time, it’s because you already have a full-time job. What you may not know is many companies offer some form of tuition reimbursement to employees looking to advance their degree. Check with your human resources department for more information. Your employer may cover some, if not all of the costs of attending graduate school if you take classes relevant to your current field.

Finally, look into pursuing an online degree. Online degrees are typically much more flexible and budget-friendly than a traditional graduate school. For more information, visit Edvisors.com.

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18 Responses to “Student Loan Options for the Part-Time Grad Student”

  1. Tanya says on June 3, 2010 at 10:49 pm:

    informative and helpful.

    Reply To This Comment
  2. Gina says on June 3, 2010 at 7:22 pm:

    Im trying to get as many scholarships as possible…. this is great information!!

    Reply To This Comment
  3. wisdom says on June 2, 2010 at 6:32 am:

    love this cos is coming at the right time

    Reply To This Comment
  4. arturo sanchez says on May 31, 2010 at 11:58 am:

    helped me learn

    Reply To This Comment
  5. CTack says on May 30, 2010 at 1:32 pm:

    Sounds good.

    Reply To This Comment
  6. Claudia says on May 27, 2010 at 10:10 am:

    great info:)

    Reply To This Comment
  7. Brittney says on May 25, 2010 at 12:37 pm:

    good info!

    Reply To This Comment
  8. Sam says on May 22, 2010 at 3:16 am:

    I didn't know there were tuition reimbursements for part time students! time to ask about that at my school!

    Reply To This Comment
  9. Jessica says on May 22, 2010 at 2:52 am:

    Good to know!!

    Reply To This Comment
  10. Lacie says on May 20, 2010 at 12:38 am:

    sweet!!!

    Reply To This Comment
  11. SNemo says on May 13, 2010 at 6:44 pm:

    I'm always looking for scholarships online! It's become my newest pastime!

    Reply To This Comment
  12. Patricia says on May 12, 2010 at 12:59 am:

    i really need some extra money for college…

    Reply To This Comment
  13. Shafina says on May 11, 2010 at 4:04 pm:

    I'm looking for as many scholarships as I can. I hope i can win some money for college so that i can finish faster.

    Reply To This Comment
  14. Nikki says on May 10, 2010 at 12:46 pm:

    thanks

    Reply To This Comment
  15. Faith says on May 6, 2010 at 4:35 am:

    Thanks

    Reply To This Comment
  16. Ashley says on May 5, 2010 at 8:38 pm:

    thanks!

    Reply To This Comment
  17. maira says on May 4, 2010 at 9:08 pm:

    thanks for every thing

    Reply To This Comment
  18. mari says on May 4, 2010 at 6:52 pm:

    great info!

    Reply To This Comment

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