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Tuition for online degrees can be made easier with the help of grants, which typically don’t have to be repaid. Students of all ages can find these forms of tuition assistance available to them, but often don’t know how or where to begin the search. Everything that gets a student closer to their degree is valuable information and research is the key.

Scholarships and fellowships work similarly to grants for college, although fellowships might involve fieldwork. Colleges and universities extend online graduate degrees to students who participate in programs at their institutions. Government agencies, corporate giants, non-profit organizations and special interest, civic and community groups tend to make non-school specific scholarships, fellowships and grants for college available. Many of these offerings might be applied to online college classes and degree and certificate programs, particularly when online colleges, universities and vocational schools are accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency.

Scholarships, fellowships and grants for college aren’t always based on academics or financial need. Applicants might have to demonstrate leadership or perform community service in order to receive them. Some grants, scholarships and fellowships are intended for specific studies, some are tailored to women and minorities, and some are awarded based on a combination of factors. The following guidance might help take some of the time and stress out of searching for online college grants, scholarships and fellowships:

Go Local: Students might not have to look much farther than their own backyards, since some local groups extend scholarships to members and those within a specific region. Churches, synagogues, community groups and civic organizations such as Kiwanis, the Lion’s Club, Rotary International and chambers of commerce might be among them.

Think Big: Corporate giants such as McDonald’s, Tylenol, Wal-Mart, State Farm and AT&T have been known to offer scholarships and fellowships for students from the high school graduate to doctorate level. AT&T maintains a fellowship program that covers the cost of tuition, books, fees and more for minorities and women pursuing doctorate degrees in computing and communications. Wal-Mart targets high school students with minimum grade point averages.

Consider Yourself and Your Goals: Some organizations offer scholarships and fellowships based on fields of study or specific demographics. Groups such as the National Science Foundation, the Hispanic College Fund, the United Negro College Fund and the American Association of University Women are among them. And organizations such as the non-profit Raise the Nation tailor scholarships to single mothers.

Set A Foundation: Charitable foundations offer a variety of scholarships, fellowships and grants for college. Undergraduate community college students seeking transfers to work on bachelor degrees can find scholarship assistance available from the Jack Kent Cook Foundation; and minorities, those with disabilities, and graduate students studying to become a professor might apply for assistance from the Ford Foundation. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation provide scholarships to first-time degree seekers and high school graduates respectively.

One-Stop Shop: Students seeking government assistance such as work study programs for qualifying grants for college can determine their eligibility by completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid online. The results might include low-interest loans that students might consider after other forms of tuition assistance are deducted. These loans, awarded by colleges and universities, typically don’t require credit checks and collateral, and they don’t have to be repaid until after graduation.

Online college is a great way to take the classes you need to get the degree that will help you throughout your working years. With the availability of online scholarships and grants, there is no reason to think there isn’t some area of eligibility you will meet.