How To Pay For Summer School Classes

You've made the decision to take summer classes, but how will you pay for them? Paying for summer school is really no different from other semesters (or quarters). You'll pay tuition based on the number of credits you'll be taking. There will be options to pay tuition with financial aid, a payment plan, scholarships, loans, or other payment methods. Read our methods below on how to pay for summer school classes and stop by your financial aid office to determine which works for you.

Financial aid

Visit your school’s Financial Aid Office to determine the steps to get financial aid for summer quarter. In most cases, there will be a separate summer financial aid form. Ask your school for the deadline to submit and turn in the form earlier to increase your chances of getting more aid.

Scholarships

Obtaining a scholarship for summer summer classes is possible! The number available will not be as high in Fall, but there will be less people applying. Check with your Financial Aid Office to see if they have a list they can give you, and read, “The Best Scholarship Websites for Finding Money”.

Get Schooled scholarship lists: Scholarships for DACA / Undocumented Students, Big Money Scholarships for College

Installment payment plans

If you do not have any outstanding obligations (fees, blocks, or holds on your account) you can be eligible for an “installment payment plan”. This type of plan will allow you to pay tuition throughout the semester (or quarter) in predetermined amounts on set dates. Check with your Financial Aid Office to determine if this payment method is available to you.

Private student loans

When you've exhausted all your other financial aid options, you can look at private student loans. These types of loans are offered by banks, credit unions, and other private organizations. However, they have higher variable interest rates when you compare them to federal student loans.

Alternative methods

If you don't qualify for financial aid, an installment plan, or don't want to take out private loans, you can try the methods in "5 Ways To Earn Extra Cash In College". Read about: work study, freelance work, internships, becoming a student assistant, and working in fast food and retail jobs.

This article was originally written for our work with California State University - Dominguez Hills in Charge On! For links originally linked, CSUDH students may find these helpful:

• CSUDH Summer Financial Aid information: summer aid request form, eligibility, and awarding summer aid
• CSUDH Installment Payment Plan (IPP) - scroll to the section on IPPs