You cannot earn a scholarship if you don’t apply for one. That may seem like a silly thing to mention, but every year, millions of dollars worth of scholarships never get awarded to a student, because no one applies. Whether you are about to finish high school or have decided to return to college after a stint in the “real world”, all types of financial aid are available. With all of the options that are available, everyone should be able to afford an advanced degree. Without one, finding that dream job will be difficult, if not impossible. Here are some suggestions that you might not have thought of.

If you are currently employed, talk to your boss. Lots of big companies like Costco, Walmart and Intel offer scholarships. These may not finance your complete education, but they can certainly help. Many employers offer tuition reimbursement, as well, if you are continuing your education in a way that will benefit the business. Check with your company’s human resource department for this kind of information.

Winning a small scholarship may not pay for all of your needs, but $500 or $1000 can certainly help. That’s one reason to apply for lots of different scholarships. Every little bit helps. These kinds of awards do not necessarily affect your ability to qualify for government financial aid programs. Typically, that type of assistance is based on “need”. A person that made a lot of money during the previous year may not qualify. If a student’s parents made a great deal of money that may disqualify them too. But you never know unless you apply.

Grant programs and scholarships are not usually awarded based on a student’s needs for funds. Math or science abilities may be a factor. Being a member of a specific faith or religious organization may be required for eligibility. Being the child of a fireman or police offer is all that is needed to qualify for some programs. You can learn more about the scholarships that are currently available through online databases. You might just need to consider a less than popular career.

Government grants are currently available for those that plan to teach. The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant Program or TEACH is a government-sponsored grant to help would-be educators pay for college. Grants are also available for other careers. Some hospitals will even pay for nursing school, because there is a great need for them, even when other jobs are scarce.

If you find that you are not eligible for state or federal financial aid and you can’t find a grant or scholarship that you are eligible to apply for, consider a student loan. Student loans finance more educations than you may realize. Whatever you do, don’t let your dreams fade. Consider all of your options and apply, apply, apply.