Tuition costs for an associate’s degree in court reporting are considerably low compared to other degree programs. Online court reporting schools are even more cost effective than traditional colleges. Certificate programs are offered at still lower rates, but not all qualify for grant and loan benefits. If you plan on applying for loan or grant funding for a certification you will need to check and make sure it meets the requirements and is accepted by FAFSA as an eligible program.
If you are planning on funding your degree by using financial aid, you should first find participating online court reporting schools and court reporting colleges. Not all schools accept financial aid. Once you find several participating schools that interest you, you can then fill out the free FAFSA application online to see if you qualify.
In some cases grant money may be available, and for many people low interest loans funded by the US government are awarded.
If you do not qualify for financial aid there are other options to help you realize your goal of earning your court reporting degree or certificate. There are many options for obtaining private loans. Many banks and credit unions offer options for financing education and in some cases the school you attend as well as other types of lenders will have loan offers available. Private loans will have higher interest rates, and in some cases may require a co-signer.
Scholarships and grants are the best possible option if you are eligible. Many schools have grant money for students studying to become court reporters. There are also scholarships available that help cover required materials for degree students, such as: a stenotype, books, ink and paper. The National Court Reporters Association, the Federal Government, and many private organizations and corporations offer scholarships for court reporting. Most scholarships require a little work to find and apply for, and are geared towards students with good grades, but they are out there.
There are many ways for you to fund attendance at either an online court reporting college or a court reporting school. The best practice is to first fill out a free online FAFSA application, and begin searching for scholarships. Once you have applied to and are accepted by a school, you can then apply for grants and scholarships specific to that institution.
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