Starting a career without appropriate qualifications can feel nearly impossible. Companies offering job opportunities tend to request valid certifications before they become interested in taking on a new employee. The problem, however, is that College fees are often much higher than what a student can afford.
The average undergraduate degree completed at a public University costs a student $26,290 per annum. When looking at private facilities, costs easily reach as much as $60,000 on a yearly basis. According to Forbes, debt from student loans reached $1.7 trillion at the beginning of 2021. This only accounts for students in the United States, with an even bigger total when looking at a global population.
This post looks at college options for students that do not have upfront capital. We look at tuition-free colleges and consider options with deferred programs.
Finding The Right College
When you don’t have access to fees for upfront tuition, then you will realize your options are a bit limited. Still, this should not be something that makes you give up on achieving the qualifications you are aiming for. There are various colleges and programs that can help you with a deferred plan. These plans allow you to attend college and only start to pay back the tuition fees once you have landed a job after graduation.
There are also tuition-free college options. These programs require no fees for the tuition part of the course. You will usually only be asked to pay some fees later on in the course and when you graduate.
Since there are multiple options to choose from, you should ensure you find the college that is right for you. Make sure you know exactly what you expect from a certification. Then see what colleges offer the appropriate course while also supporting one of the two plans mentioned. Ensure there is a supportive system in place, that the college has access to trained and licensed teachers, and that the certificate reached out after graduation will have credibility.
Colleges With No Upfront Tuition Fees
Several opportunities exist for students who need a certification but do not have funds for the upfront tuition fees. In this section, we share a few college options and programs specifically tailored to help you get access to quality education, even when you do not have a budget.
UoPeople
UoPeople, also known as the University of the People, was established to provide tuition-free programs to people who do not have thousands to spend on a course. There are two types of degrees that you can sign up for. This includes an associate program, which lasts two years. A four-year bachelor’s program is also available. There are three-degree programs available:
- Computer science
- Business administration
- Health science
No tuition fees are charged when signing up for these courses. You do, however, have to pay an application fee for every course you complete. An assessment fee is also charged. Scholarships are available for people who do not have adequate funds for these fees.
MIT
MIT is a well-known and respected name in the education sector. There are several options available for students who do not have access to front-up funds. This includes scholarships, as well as the MIT tuition-free program. An OpenCourseWare facility can also be accessed by students. This is an online portal that offers the student access to a wide library of educational resources.
MIT offers financial aid to students as well. Between 2019 and 2020, an average of $21,917 was provided to students who were in need of financial aid.
App Academy
Software development is a sector that sees a lot of growth. Software is used on computers, smartphones, tablets, and other devices. This means there is a bright future for people who want to enter a career as a software or app developer.
App Academy was launched to help people get a kickstart to a career as a software developer. The course runs over a period of 12 weeks. Students can attend classes in both San Francisco and New York. There is an online course as well, which lasts twice as long as the other option.
Repayment of the tuition fees charged is only demanded when the student lands a job. The job should pay $50,000 per annum before the student is held liable for their debt.
Conclusion
While time at a college serves an important role in helping you succeed with a career, the costs associated with tuition can limit your options. There are colleges that have deferred tuition and tuition-free programs, however. These help you get a headstart without any initial capital that should be paid upfront.
References
https://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/student-finance/how-much-does-it-cost-study-us
https://www.forbes.com/sites/zackfriedman/2021/02/20/student-loan-debt-statistics-in-2021-a-record-17-trillion/?sh=25d59d701431
https://sfs.mit.edu/undergraduate-students/the-cost-of-attendance/making-mit-affordable/#annotation-2