Can You Get A Student Loan If You Are Only Working Towards A Diploma, Not A Degree? ?
my community college has a paramedic diploma program. I want to enroll in it and apply for student loans. but is this possible? like direct loans or stafford? thank you so much!!!
NotAnyon said
am September 15 2009 @ 10:04 pm
Theoretically, yes, your school’s paramedic degree program may be eligible for participation in the federal government’s financial aid program. Whether your school actually submitted the program for the Department of Education’s approval is another question that only your school can answer.
For a non-degree program to be eligible, it must prepare students for “gainful employment in a specific recognized occupation”. Obviously, the EMT profession is one that is recognized as “specific occupation”.
However, there are some further issues – the program must provide at least a certain number of classroom hours of instruction, and the program must have a history of successful operation. At least 70% of the students who began the program must have successfully completed it, and at least 70% of the program’s graduates must have found gainful employment as a result of earning the diploma or certificate.
You’ll need to verify with the staff and/or faculty who run the paramedic program that the program has been approved for federal aid eligibility. Keep in mind that a single school can offer both eligible and ineligible programs, so it’s not enough to know that the school participates in the aid system – you need to know about the specific program.
I hope that helped. Good luck with your training!