How to Get Financial Aid Without Parental Assistance

In some cases, parents are not around to help with college tuition – they are deceased or not in contact with the student; in other cases, they are unable, or refuse to help, for various reasons that are as diverse as the families themselves. Regardless of your individual circumstances and the reason why you’re not getting any assistance paying for college, the truth is that you can still find a way to go to school – and pay for it – even without your parents’ assistance.

You have a few major options for financial aid without parental assistance:

• Student loans
• Scholarships
• Work study

Student Loans

The first things to consider in this situation, since they’re likely to be the main source of your funding, are loans designed just for students. However, it is important to note that certain loan programs through the federal government as well as through private lenders are geared towards parents and based specifically on their income.

Since you are probably listed as a dependent on your parents’ taxes, their income is used to determine your eligibility for things like student loans. Thus, those types of loans won’t help you.

However, there are other types of loans designed just for the student who is wondering how to get financial aid for college when parents won’t help. No cosigners are required, and the loans are typically free from credit checks and other qualifiers that might take you out of the running without your parents behind you.

Since some of these loans may be needs-based, you’ll hit some complications if you’re still a dependent of your parents. It can be a good idea to try to declare your independence from your parents before you apply - this means they can't declare you on their taxes. If this isn't possible, many other loan programs are designed for students like you and will offer you some options from which to choose. 

Scholarships

Another idea is to look into scholarships. This will depend partly on your grades, of course, but there are scholarships available to almost everyone, not just those with great academic status. Scholarships are also given out to students based on their field of study, cultural background, abilities in art or other fields, or just plain financial need. Best of all, you don’t have to pay a scholarship back after graduation.

Work Study or a Job

If you’re really stuck for options, don’t give up: there is always a way for those who are wondering how to get financial aid for college, even when parents won’t help. Work-study jobs on campus, off-campus jobs and part-time classes, grants, and payment plans are all viable options for you to look into.

Talk to Financial Aid Counselors

Talking to the financial aid counselors at the college where you want to go is perhaps the best place to start. They have a surprising amount of resources at hand, and it’s their job to help plan a way to cover a student’s expenses with what’s available. The financial aid counselors also typically have access to many types of loans, grants, and scholarships that may not be advertised elsewhere. They can also put you in touch with money available through your college designed just for students who need that financial boost.

In today’s troubled economy, it’s actually not all that uncommon for a student to be paying his or her own way through college. So if you find yourself in this situation you should know that you’re not alone, and that there are plenty of resources. You may have to work for them, and you may not have the smooth path of someone whose parents paid their tuition, but in a way that’s all part of the learning experience.

You’ll come out of your college years a self-sufficient, resourceful person who should be proud of having solved the problem of paying for school without all the funds coming from your parents. That’s an education to impress.