Distant Learning and Federal Pell Grants?

Question

I attend a college online, but I am in dire need of a laptop, I heard you could use federal funding to buy things that pertain to college. How would I go about using my pell grant to get my laptop, would I have to apply for student loans if I cant use the grants?

Answer 1

It is sometimes (but not always) possible to use federal student aid funds (including Pell) to purchase a laptop. Basically, your school will establishes "Cost of Attendance" (COA) for each of its students. That COA can include tuition, fees, books, supplies, housing, transportation, and...

"a reasonable amount... for the documented rental or purchase of a personal computer that the student will use for study for the enrollment period."

However, your school gets to decide whether to add this cost to your COA. Then, if the amount of financial aid that you receive is in excess of what you owe to the school, you can use the remainder as you see fit.

The problem you may encounter is that, because your school is online, they may not have much IN their cost of attendance besides tuition (probably not housing and transportation) and maybe books... You will probably need to specifically request that they add this cost to your COA (also called a "budget"). And if they don't want to, well, that's their prerogative.

This COA rule applied to student loans as well. Basically, you can't receive any type of financial aid in excess of your COA unless your school "okays" it. The only exception to this might be a private loan that the school doesn't know about (and most private lenders will require school certification for their loans).

Answer 2

Federal Pell provide funds are first utilized to a pupil's account on the faculty that they are attending. If the Pell delivers pays off any last stability on the student's bill and there is a credit leftover, the student expenses place of work will disburse a examine to you. you need to the contact the student Account place of work/Bursar's place of work to work out in the adventure that your Pell provide will generate a credit for you and suggestion on the thanks to receive the credit.

Answer 3

I go to school online also, but I didn;t get enough fincial aide to cover all the costs. But I did get a pell grant. I used some of mine to get my computer fixed. My school send me the check from the pell grant. I would talk to your fincial advisor and tell them you need alpa top pot of your pell grant