Funding Programs and Financial Aid

Most need help paying for their job training through a career school. Therefore most vocational training institutions offer their students financial aid. The school's financial aid department can explain various options and provides reference to federal student aid programs and shows prospective students how to apply.

Financial Aid for Job Training Programs

Financial aid is available for those who qualify more than ever. In October 2005, DOL awarded $125 million to 70 community colleges in 40 states with more to come. Most student financial aid comes from the federal government programs which is administered by the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid (FSA) office.

What is Federal Student Aid?

Federal student aid is financial help for students enrolled in an eligible program at a school participating in federal student aid programs. (By “school,” we mean a four-year or two-year public or private college, university, career school, or trade school.) Federal aid covers school expenses, including tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and transportation. Aid can also help pay for a computer and for dependent care. There are three categories of federal student aid: grants, work-study, and loans (see the chart on the following page for an overview of these programs). Check with your school to find out which funding programs your school participates in.

 What the Financial Aid Office Can Tell You 
The financial aid office staff at the school you are interested in has all the information you will need to determine your eligibility. Talk to the financial aid administrator at each school you are interested in to find out about the school’s aid programs and total cost of attendance.

 What the Financial Aid Office Will NOT Tell You 
There are certain things you want to be aware of when you walk into your school's financial aid office. Yahoo Finance wrote a great article, and because I coudn't have said it any better, you can read it all here: 10 Things College Financial Aid Offices Will Not Tell You.

 College Scholarship Fraud Prevention Act
The College Scholarship Fraud Prevention Act helps protect against fraud in student financial assistance. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) cautions students to look for these telltale lines: “The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back.” “You can't get this information anywhere else.” “I just need your credit card or bank account number to hold this scholarship.” To file a complaint, or for free information, call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The TTY number is 1-866-653-4261.

You don't have to pay anyone for assistance. Applying for student aid is FREE; that’s why the application you use is called the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you need help completing the FAFSA, you can get that help free, too.

Who Gets Federal Student Aid?

The most basic eligibility requirements are that you must:

• demonstrate financial need
• be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen with a valid Social Security number; and
• show by one of the following means that you're qualified to obtain a postsecondary education
• have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) Certificate.*
• Pass an approved ability-to-benefit (ATB) test (if you don’t have a diploma or GED, a school can administer a test to determine whether you can benefit from the education offered at that school)
• Complete a high school education in a home school setting approved under state law.

How Do You Apply For Federal Student Aid? Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)-the online version (FAFSA on the Web) or the paper FAFSA. Using FAFSA on the Web is faster and easier than using paper. If you don’t have Internet access, you can get a paper FAFSA from:

• a high school guidance office
• a college financial aid office
• a local public library, or
• the Federal Student Aid Information Center (1-800-433-3243).

REMEMBER: Apply early! 

After you apply, you'll receive a Student Aid Report. Your SAR contains the information reported on your FAFSA and usually includes your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) number.

Download the Complete FAFSA Student Guide Here!
For additional sources of student financial aid get the Student Guide.
The Student Guide is free.

Beware of Fraud!  Beware of scams and services that will search for financial aid money for you for a fee. This is considered fraud and a law protects students from this type of fraud. The need for skilled medical assistants remains high. There are over 100,000 job offers for Medical Assistants and all other health care professionals available right now in every state!