Possibly. Some employers offer tuition reimbursement or education assistance programs, especially for working adults seeking career advancement. See if your employer is a Capella partner.
By: The Capella University Editorial Team with Chelsea Tangen
Reading Time: 6 minutes
A university degree can be a big financial undertaking. Rather than focusing on only one source of funding, you may find that a mix of funding options can help make paying for school more manageable.
Before you borrow, take time to understand your options, your long-term goals and what repayment could look like after graduation. Chelsea Tangen, from Capella University’s Financial Aid Support Team (FAST), offers some tips for navigating these options.
Researching financial options is important, but it’s just as important to research your academic and career path first.
Before enrolling, clarify what role, industry or credential you want your degree to support. Changing programs later can add time and cost, especially if the coursework you’ve already completed doesn’t apply to your new path.
Start with a few key questions: What field do you want to enter? What kind of work do you want to do day to day? Which program best supports that goal? The clearer your direction is at the beginning, the easier it is to make smarter education and financing decisions.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Career and Credential (C2E) tools include a self-assessment and helpful guides that can support you in choosing a path that fits your career goals.
Another element to consider is how your school will support your career goals once you enroll. Capella’s Career Development Center is ready to help students and alumni in their job search, whether they need someone to review their cover letters, resumes and CVs, or if they want support with interview prep.
With loans only one part of the picture, it’s a good idea to consider other sources of funding.
At Capella, you can explore scholarships and grants, employer assistance, military benefits, transfer credit, credit for prior learning and no-cost general education courses through Sophia Learning. Capella also offers FlexPath’s flat-rate billing for each 12-week billing session and tuition caps for select programs. Work with your enrollment specialist to confirm if you meet eligibility requirements and aren’t subject to program-specific exclusions before enrolling.
If you volunteer or belong to a civic, nonprofit or community organization, check whether it offers education awards or scholarships. Exploring every available option may reduce how much you need to borrow.
Get more information about funding sources: Four no-cost ways to help fund your education.
And to learn more about the range of financing options, watch the “How can I pay for college?” video playlist.
If you’ve explored other sources of funding and will still need more to cover tuition, financial aid might be an avenue you research. Financial aid programs can be helpful, but they come with eligibility rules and limits.
A federal law signed on July 4, 2025, (the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) changed several aid rules. Most took effect July 1, 2026:
With a clearer understanding of the financial aid landscape, you’ll be better prepared to compare your options and build a realistic plan to help cover tuition.
Financial aid can help close the gap, but it works best as part of a bigger plan. Before you accept any aid or loans, take a step back and look at how they fit into your financial situation.
Build a plan around what you can realistically afford. Review your monthly budget, current debt, living expenses and any income you expect to have while in school. Think through where you may need to adjust spending and how much additional debt fits within your financial picture. For help with budgeting, you can watch the “How to build a budget?” video playlist.
Before taking on more debt – even if repayment does not begin right away – you should carefully review your expected payments and determine whether you can afford them. You can learn more by watching the “How much money should I be willing to borrow for school?” video playlist and using the Federal Student Aid loan repayment calculator.
In addition to grants, scholarships and loans, look for program features that may lower your overall costs. For example, some Capella programs offer resource kits that bundle required books, course materials, technology and support resources into one flat fee each 10-week quarter in GuidedPath or 12-week billing session in FlexPath. You can opt out of the portion covering publicly available books and supplies, but you are then responsible for purchasing those required materials.
Small savings on books, fees, and materials can add up over the course of a program, so it is worth reviewing the full cost structure before you enroll.
If you have questions, reach out to your school’s financial aid office. A financial aid advisor can help you understand available funding options, application requirements, repayment considerations and questions specific to your situation.
Possibly. Some employers offer tuition reimbursement or education assistance programs, especially for working adults seeking career advancement. See if your employer is a Capella partner.
Federal Financial Aid requires you to maintain Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress and progression requirements.
Ask how much you need, what your monthly payments may look like, whether you’ve exhausted grant and scholarship options, and whether the program supports your career goals.
Start by estimating tuition and related expenses, identifying grants and scholarships, reviewing your income and monthly budget, and mapping out how much borrowing is manageable.
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