Student Funding of Distance Education

• About.Com: Paying for School
  Financial aid and scholarhip information, articles, and advice from the Distance Learning section of the About.Com web site provides summaryies and explainations in areas such as types of loans, savings for online students, and how to obtain textbooks at reduced prices.
• Distance Learning: Ways to Pay
  The CollegeAnswer web site provides information on financial aid and scholarships, as well as a link to an application form for Career Training Loan (which can be used for distance education). CollegeAnswer is sponsored by Sallie Mae, a provider of education funding and student loans.
• DistanceLearning.Wisconsin: Financial Aid
  The DistanceLearning.Wisconsin web site helps students find distance learning courses and programs offered by the University of Wisconsin. A finacial aid section identifies several resources, including Military Education Benefits, Title IV Codes, and other areas of interest. An FAQ section on this site addresses financial aid questions from distance learners, including questions on when to apply for financial aid.
• Financial Aid - Graduate School
  This FAQ from GetEducated.com includes questions and answers specific to graduate school students. Get.Educated.com provides information and articles specific to distance learning. Included in their FAQs are answers to questions about how to compare costs of different online progams and if/how tuition is tax deductable.
• Financial Aid Offices
  FinAid was established in the fall of 1994 as a public service. In addition to links to US postsecondary institutions including colleges, universities, community colleges and vocational/technical schools, FinAid offers the "Ask the Aid Advisor" service. There is also as section on the FinAid site Distance and Continuing Education however, its listings currently only include general references.
• Financing Your Distance Education
  The Chela Education Financing, a student loan provider, sponsors the DE Resource web site. This article offers tips in areas such as scholarship searching (Find Free Money First) and how to understand loan repayment.
• GetEducated.com Awards Online Education Scholarship to University of Wisconsin Criminal Justice Student
  Ken Wiegman, a Computer Support Specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville (UWP), was selected by Wisconsin's Distance Learning Center Scholarship Committee as the first recipient of the GetEducated.com award. Ken's nomination was based upon his academic achievements and the strong recommendation of his nominators, Dr. Susan Hilal and Dr. Cheryl Banachowski-Fuller. Ken is currently enrolled in the online Master of Science in Criminal Justice through UWP.
• Pay for School: An Overview
  Information for students and potential students from Thompson Peterson's education resources. Information areas include scholarships, federal and state aid, and student loans.
• Reference Guide for Students
  This Reference Guide from the Foundation Center offers some basic suggestions for individuals looking for financial aid and/or scholarships to attend school: "If you are a student looking for information on financial aid, the very first thing you should do is speak to the financial aid office at the institution you plan to attend."
• Scholarship Searches
  The University of Wisconsin HELP (Higher Education Location Program) Office provides a listing of interactive sites which allow students to search for possible scholarships based on personal information provided by the student. Note: some of these sites allow for distance learning as search criteria or keyword search.
• State Grant Agencies
  In their Education Resource Organizations Directory (EROD), the U.S. Department of Education links to all 50 State Grant Agencies: "State Grant Agencies provides information on grants, scholarships, and other financial aid for college students from the state, including federally-supported state programs."
• U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Financial Aid Resources
  Included here are financial aid and scholarship resources of particular interest to members of the U.S. military and their families. See also the Tuition Assistance Management Program (TAMP) from DANTES (Defense Activity for NonTraditional Education Support).
• Please also see our section on Student Readiness for Distance Education.