It’s no secret: college comes with a high price tag. In fact, CU, one of the top 50 affordable Christian colleges, is among the first colleges to drop our tuition price with the hope of shifting the national spike we have seen in college tuition costs.

But in addition to dropping prices, we are also spreading the word on how many great options exist to make college affordable. What a lot of students (and parents) don’t realize is how many different forms of financial aid are available to help people just like you attend incredible schools like Cornerstone University every year.

This post breaks down the five ways we help ensure that any student who wants to attend Cornerstone University can. BUT. Before you read more about how to afford a college education, take 15 minutes to fill out your FAFSA. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a federal application required in order to receive ALL kinds of aid. At Cornerstone, we have a set of financial advisers eager to create a custom aid package just for you, but we can’t do that until we receive your FAFSA. So, pause, take a minute, and then jump back here to finish reading.

1. UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS

CU OFFERS AID TO 95% OF FIRST-YEAR FULL-TIME STUDENTS.

CU offers four different kinds of academic scholarships to first-year students, three different kinds of academic scholarships to transfer students and five additional kinds of scholarships based on factors such as vocational goals, diversity, etc. All of that to say, we have a lot of different scholarships to fit a wide range of students—future doctors, pastors, athletes, leaders, first-generation students and more.

2. EXTERNAL SCHOLARSHIPS

ORGANIZATIONS WHO WANT TO GIVE YOU MONEY.

There are so many community foundations and organizations looking to support students like you in pursuing a college education. The summer and fall of your senior year of high school are the perfect time for you to apply to these organizations for additional scholarship support. These scholarships will exist separate to your CU aid and if you receive a scholarship from an external organization, you can take it with you wherever you choose to attend college.

3. GRANTS

NEED-BASED AID YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY BACK.

At Cornerstone, our students benefit from institutional grants, federal grants and state grants. Determined by your FAFSA and based on need, grants do not need to be paid back. And, this money can be renewed every year you attend CU. For more details, check out the full list of grant opportunities available to CU students.

4. LOANS

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOR YOUR EDUCATION.

The Institute for College Access & Success says 75% of students who attend a private university end up taking out loans to help support their education. Interest rates for education loans are kept low, making it easier for you and/or your parents to repay these loans after you graduate. To finance your education, there are both subsidized and unsubsidized loans. With subsidized loans, the government pays all accruing interest until you graduate. With unsubsidized loans, interest begins accruing immediately; however, you are not required to make any payments until after you have graduated. Often, students choose to take out a mix of both subsidized and unsubsidized loans, determined after you submit your FAFSA application. If you have questions about how much you should borrow, you can always connect with a financial aid consultant at CU: financial.aid@cornerstone.edu.

5. ON-CAMPUS JOB

CU EMPLOYS OVER 500 STUDENTS.

A campus job offers a great way to help you cover regular semester expenses like books, supplies and your meal plan. At CU, we’re committed to helping you meet your financial need, and we offer plenty of creative on-campus opportunities that make it easy to manage work and school while also minimizing your loan expenses. Interested in CU’s on-campus work opportunities? Email us at career@cornerstone.edu.