Of course, it is an indisputable fact that the cost of acquiring a university degree isn’t at all cheap and easy to come by. The price of acquiring a quality education is continuous on the increase every passing year. A lot of government organizations have in their own way been trying to help ameliorate the burden tagged with student graduate studies by offering loans. This can be a great way for students to get the help they need for paying for their school, but even so, they obviously don’t always take care of all there is to cover during the study period. Conversely, seeking private loans could be much more burdensome and worse. This is because the loans come with much higher interest rates, fees for late-payments and other concerning features that make them less favorable compared to federal loans. We have observed with so much empathy how excellent students who got through school on student loans are graduating with thousands of dollars in debt and are with no hope of paying it off anytime soon. Also, many exceptional students with plenty of beautiful dreams and high career ambitions have also been cut short because of the high costs of acquiring and maintaining the quality of education they so desire. Many, out of frustration, have settled for the average while some had to completely quit the pursuit of those dreams. This is painful and disheartening. Not to worry, we are here to help. In this article, ‘How To Pay For Grad School Without Students’ Loan’, we are going to show you how you can actually pay your tuition bills through graduate schools staying aloft the waters of student loan debts- How to pay for grad school without students’ loan. The step-to-step strategies we are about to share with you here may cause you some extra work, make you forfeit some of your getaway treats, and ultimately pull you out of your comfort zone but we can bet you, you will never regret it. Wouldn’t you want to trade a little of your pleasure now for a peaceful and calm life afterward? A life stuck in debt is not the life you want to live.
What are student loans?
One may ask, what is a student loan? A student loan is a type of loan designed to help students pay for post-secondary education and the associated fees, such as tuition, books and supplies, and living expenses. These are designed in such a way that student does not have to repay immediately rather once their education is complete then they have to pay the installments from their salaries. It is not a scholarship neither is it a grant. It completely differs from other types of loans. This is in the fact that the interest rate may be substantially lower and the repayment schedule may be deferred while the student is still in school. The student loan system differs in many countries.
Types of student loans
There are basically two types of student loans available to students. There are Federal loans and there are private loans.
Federal Student Loans
Federal student loans are loans offered by governmental organizations to aid and support students who may need help to be able to meet up the demands of their school. In this kind of loan, you don’t repay immediately but after you have graduated. In fact, you don’t start paying immediately after graduation. It will let you have some time to seek a job before you have to repay. You will start to repay about 6 months after you graduate. If you are getting a federal loan, there is a type called a subsidized student loan. If you get a subsidized loan, no interest will be counted before graduation. There is also an unsubsidized loan. In this case, the interest during the time you are in school will be counted. However, in both cases, you will only need to repay after graduation.
Private Student Loans
The story is not always the same with private student loans as federal loans. This kind of loan is acquired from private organizations. In this kind of loan, you start paying off the interests while you are still in school and the interest rates are quite exorbitant and outrageous.
Advantages of Student Loans
Interest Rate Deduction
One of the bigger benefits of student loans is that they carry a lower rate of interest as compared to other loans like housing, vehicle, personal loan, and so on and therefore both students, as well as their parents, do not have that much burden because the lower rate of interest means lower monthly installments and hence less stress on the part of the borrower.
Student Loans Help Build Credit
For many students, an education loan will be their first major financial transaction. While taking out a student loan may seem a daunting prospect, it is also the perfect opportunity to begin to build a solid credit history. Whether it is a Federal loan or a private lender loan, whether engaging a cosigner or flying solo, a college loan is the beginning of many students’ financial history. By keeping up to date on all college loan payments a student can begin to lay the foundation of a good credit score, which will prove greatly beneficial in later life. Attending grad school is an expensive undertaking, and most students will need to consider an education loan of some sort to help meet their total costs of attendance. When considering any education loan, either from the Federal government or a private lender, always read the fine print. Do the necessary research, weigh up the advantages and disadvantages and never sign any agreement until you are sure you understand and are comfortable with, all the details of your education loan.
Disadvantages of Student Loans
High accumulated interests and debts
The most burdening disadvantage of student loans is that despite its benefits, it is still a loan and loans carry interests and therefore when one takes this loan they should bear in mind that they are definitely going to be in debt for a long period of time. This is because the interest will shoot up the loan amount and it will keep accumulating until one starts repaying it. This usually is the reason why people find it difficult to pay off these loans and why they get to last for many years. And when one finally gets a job after completing his or her studies, he or she will start using a large chunk of the salary to repay the monthly installment of the loan. Not too good.
Discredit to borrower’s reputation
If due for some reason after completing a degree, a student is unable to get a good job, you’ll find out this can lead to big problems between the lender organization and the borrower. This is because if the income levels of a borrower do not match up with their monthly loan repayments then it can lead to defaults and these defaults will ruin the credit history of such person.
Increased mental stress due to debts
Student loan leads to the individual being in constant mental stress where he is trying to pay up his debts. His or her creative abilities take the backseat and chances are that he will sacrifice long term growth in his or her chosen career for short term financial benefit just to come out of debts and hence student loan in a way is deterrent to individual success. You see, apart from the fact that acquiring your graduate degree can really set you apart in the competitive job market, it is very important you thoughtfully make your decisions in this regard because a lot of it will affect the rest of your life. A lot has been said already about the “scourge of student loans.” The disadvantages outweigh their benefits.
Preparing to go to a graduate school
In our opening words, we made you a promise we are going to show you simple but very productive ways of paying for your grad school without getting buried in student loan debts. In the next few lines, I will give you some insights on the exact things you need to know or do before going to graduate school and ultimately show you how to pay for grad school without students’ loans. Firstly, you will need to draw a clear schematic of what you really want. Develop an intentional plan concerning what you want. Carefully carry out your research. Grab a sit when in your calmest frame of mind and list out all the graduate schools that are available to you. Carefully compare and contrast, side by side, all the schools listed, their programs, and the cost of running each program in each of the schools listed. Remember a $5000 difference in tuition fees or other associated fees could mean a lot and could make a lot of difference.
Choose the graduate school with the lowest possible cost
While preparing to choose the graduate school to go to, ensure to settle for the one with the lowest possible cost that will still yield the results you so desire. This depends on the kind of programs you want to take anyway. That is why we earlier counseled you should carefully carry out your research before settling for one. Do not let peoples’ opinions cajole you into taking a big jump you may regret after all. Take your decision and stay with it. Remember, the idea is to reduce costs and stay out of debt at all costs.
Proven ways to pay for grad school without student loans
I want to show you the various productive ways of paying through grad school without student loans. Here I will show you proved feasible ways of raising money for your grad school.
#1. Save up before getting into grad school
This is one of the ways you can see yourself through grad school without student loans and their consequent high debts. Working after your undergraduate degree assures you that you have some real-world experiences under your belt before taking off and doing a master’s degree. It is important to note, many programs, especially MBAs, will not accept students unless they have some kind of work experience. Furthermore, If you can pay cash for even some of your degrees, you will take on less debt. Typically the best place to put your money while saving for college is in a 529 account. But the most important thing is just that you start saving as soon as you can and as much as you can.
#2. Seek and apply for Scholarships and Grants
Free money is always a good idea too, you know. There are literally thousands of scholarships and grants available which you can apply for online. There are tons of grants and scholarship opportunities out there based on a variety of qualifications — academics, athletics, cultural and community experiences, background, location, desired major or area of study, accomplishments. If you get creative, you’ll find a lot of scholarship and grant options available out there. Grants are available from both the federal and state governments, as well as from the university itself. Some companies provide their own grants or scholarships, and many private organizations sponsor grants. Some are International scholarships, packaged for international students while some scholarships and grants are particular to certain countries. You could also find undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships and grants. Often times you can find national scholarships and grants offered by small local support groups, and the applications may not be that competitive. Apply for as many scholarships and grants as you can, provided they’re a good fit for your career demands, abilities, and future plans. But don’t spend loads of time applying for scholarships and grants that you don’t really qualify for.
#3. Get a job while at school
Folks, I could tell you, working while you are in the program is one of the ideal routes to tread if you really wish not to take a student loan and then stay out of debt. You don’t have to stop earning money just because you have a full course load. Getting a job while you are schooling can be as beneficial as winning a scholarship or study grant. Many students manage to work a few hours a week or more while carrying 18+ credit hours. You just have to be wise about how you use your time. Working through school can let you avoid loans by paying for your living expenses in cash as you go. But if you’re living at home without many expenses, you can save money for future semesters. If you can’t work during the school year, you can at least work during school breaks. Some of the jobs you can do while in school:
Take care of the agedBecome a nannyDrive for UberDrive for PostmatesHelp people clean their apartments etc.
Work! Remember every dollar earned is one dollar less if you were to borrow.
#4. Start a Side Hustle
Starting a side hustle while taking your graduate school program is another simple and effective hack you can avoid student loans and debts. Your side hustle could be starting out a new business or giving value to people by helping them solve their needs and problems using your skills or knowledge. It could be in the form of a product or a service you offer to people. However, whichever one it is, the idea is to make more money and graduate from school with little to no debts. Do it. And do it now.
#5. Find Programs With Research or Teaching Assistantships
Sometimes, these programs aren’t very well advertised, but many private and public schools offer them. Basically, students teach a class or conduct research in exchange for full tuition reimbursement and a living stipend. At the University of California schools, this compensation is close to $4,000 per quarter for tuition in addition to a monthly stipend of $1,800. These programs are available for both master’s and Ph.D. candidates in a number of disciplines.
#6. Live Off-Campus
Some schools require that you live on campus for at least your first year or two. But if you can live off-campus, you’ll often save money doing so. It’s less convenient. But living at home or sharing an apartment with a few roommates can help you save some significant cash on your living costs. Then, more of the money you save and earn can go towards tuition instead of room and board.
#7. Employer reimbursement programs
Discuss this with your employer to see if he can assist you to pay for tuition fees while you work for him. In May of 2018, Walmart announced that it will begin subsidizing college tuition for its 1.4 million employees in the U.S. Full- and part-time employees can enroll in courses in business or supply chain management either on campus or online at one of these three universities: The University of Florida, Brandman University in Irvine, California, or Bellevue University in Bellevue, Nebraska. Today, there are tons of different employers offering similar options.
#8. Attend a Public School
Do not allow anyone to deceive you. Government school education isn’t cheap, but they are still considerably less expensive than private schools. Choose wisely.
#9. Be frugal in your spending
It’s okay to make some sacrifices while you are in graduate school because it will pay off big later. Remember you are not in competition with anybody. Don’t feel bad about being cheap when you are in graduate school. After all, you are trying to be in the top 8% of Americans that can say that they have a graduate degree. Here are a few ways you can save more money:
Don’t spend any money on new clothesCook at homeCheck out textbooks from the library or buy used booksLive with roommatesLive with parents.Drive an old car if you must drive one even
Leaving grad school with little to no debt is a huge benefit. It is not at all easy, but it can be worth it if you follow some of these simple nuggets carefully laid out here in this article. This is to your success. Cheers!
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Online programs are accredited and approved by the designated bodies. online master’s degrees have become more acceptable.
Apply for private scholarships.> Consider Part-time Education. > Apply for federal government grants.> Apply for college financial grants.> Get Student Loans from refinancing companies Apply for a graduate program. > Have a plan before approaching your employer. > Make a list of courses offered in the graduate program relevant to your job. > Make a thorough research on what benefits your employer currently offers for tuition reimbursement.
Conclusion
A student loan is a type of loan designed to help students pay for post-secondary education and the associated fees, such as tuition, books and supplies, and living expenses. These are designed in such a way that student does not have to repay immediately rather once their education is complete then they have to pay the installments from their salaries. It is not a scholarship neither is it a grant. However, it is pertinent to note the benefits and implications of student loans so as to aid in decision-making. Does this article meet your immediate needs? if yes, kindly share it with your friends. Also, remember to leave a comment on the comment box to express your concern or ask a question.
