The University of Phoenix participates in Federal Aid Programs offering the Federal Stafford Student Loans, Federal PLUS loans, and Federal Pell Grants. The University also offers the P.L.A.T.O.® loan, designed especially for University of Phoenix students. An Enrollment Advisor will be happy to answer any questions regarding your financing options.
Loans: Loans are funds that must be repaid with interest. The interest rates are low and sometimes deferred while you are in school. There are Student Loans, Parent Loans, Private Loans and Loan Consolidation. Students can apply for their own loans also known as the Stafford Loans. Parents can apply for loans to supplement educations costs. These are PLUS loans. Private loans are bank loans with varying rates and terms, but no government forms to complete. Loan consolidations can be used to pay off multiple loans so you have only one payment and the term can be extended so the payment is lower.
US Federal Government Aid: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step to apply for federal student assistance. This section provided by the federal government, Funding Your Education, explains all the programs available to you.
US State Government Aid: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is also the first step to apply for state student assistance.
Veteran - Military Aid: The US Armed Forces offer several programs in exchange for part or full time service in a branch of the service or as a part of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program. These programs are described in detail on the My Future web site in the Military Help section.
Tuition Payment Plans: Two forms of tuition payment plans are 1) Plans dividing the payments into 12 equal payments and managing the payment to the college of your choice and 2) Pre-paid tuition plans that allow parents to buy shares for 1/2 year or more of college education and lock in the current price, so that if the price goes up they don't have to pay more. A useful guide to these plans is at FinAid web site.
College scholarships and financial aid for international students: The sources for financial aid for international students is very limited, as most aid will go to US citizens. The EduPASS web site has the more information on this subject.
College scholarships and financial aid by Sutdent Classificataion: Some aid is given to specifc classifications. Some of these are Disabled Students, Female Students, Minority Students, and Gay and Lesbian Students. There are many more opportunities that are not found on the Internet. If you join a minority association you will be able to explore these avenues.
College scholarships and financial aid for post graduate & professional schools: There are many search engines for financial aid. One of the most comprehensive is FastWeb. There are also program-specific loans for Business.
Grants: The Federal Pell Grants range from $400 to $4000 dollars.
College scholarships and Financial Aid for specific Majors of Courses of Study: If you have decided on an education focus, look for organizations and societies in that field. Then look up the web sites and search for college scholarships, grants, awards, or financial aid. The list below is an example of some organizations that offer financial aid.
Fellowships, Grants and Awards for Women in Computing - compiled by the ADA Project
Society for Software Quality, Grant-In-Aid Essay Contest
American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)
National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, Inc. (NACME)
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