Eighty-five percent of students enrolled in online higher education courses are non-traditional students, learners who face unique challenges in paying for school. From 2014 to 2015, two-thirds of full-time students paid for school with the help of grants and scholarships. Online students qualify for many of the same types of state and federal aid and scholarships as on-campus learners, and also have access to a variety of awards intended solely for distance learners.
The History of Financial Aid at Online Colleges When online education was in its infancy, students seeking financial aid from the federal government had to take at least half of their classes on campus in order to qualify for assistance. The government created this “50% rule” based on research from 1992 that raised doubts about the quality of some online schools. In 2006 the government updated its policy, and schools were no longer required to follow the “50% rule,” significantly expanding financial aid opportunities available to distance learners. Suddenly, students could take all of their courses online and still qualify for financial aid.
Today, as online education has become increasingly prevalent, the federal government no longer differentiates between online and on-campus courses when determining financial aid eligibility. Online education has expanded significantly in the past decade and is widely considered to be as effective as residential courses, particularly for non-traditional students. No longer restricted to a handful of for-profit colleges, online courses and degrees are now commonly offered by elite brick-and-mortar institutions.
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