Financing Seminary

Government Loans:

Although no one wants to borrow money for schooling, sometimes government loans are the only option. Government loans tend to have lower interest rates than private loans, but they may not cover all of your expenses. Be sure to review your offer carefully and consult with the financial aid office for any questions.

If you’ve completed the FAFSA, you’ll get an offer of financial aid from the seminary. If you accept the offer, you will need to complete entrance counseling (available online for UPSem) and sign a loan agreement.

Grants/Scholarships:

You could qualify for a UPSem scholarship or matching grant, denominational scholarship, a PC(USA) Study Grant, or a myriad of other options. Head over to the financial aid page on the UPSem website for more details or click here for access to other scholarship options.

Also, make sure you’re checking your UPSem email, because there’s often information about scholarship opportunities included!

If you’ve already been awarded a scholarship or grant, you may be wondering when you’ll actually see that money and if you’ll have it in time for your first bill. If you receive a grant or scholarship through UPSem, all funding is posted to your online account the Friday before classes begin.

You can refer to the Federal Student Aid website for more information about how to receive other types of aid.

Jobs:

If you’re looking for another source of income during your time in seminary, you can start by searching for student job postings through Union. These jobs often work well with your class schedules and keep you close to campus.

To Locate On BlackBoard:

“course” called Student Job Availability –> Available job posting
“course” called Student Job Opportunities Off Campus –> Off Campus Job Information

You can also go the route of working a retail or food service position to earn some extra funds, which often has flexible hours, but remember, you’ll probably be required to work holidays and weekends.

Extra Cash:

There are a lot of ways to be your own boss and make some side change. Although they may not earn you a lot of money, the flexibility of some of these options might outweigh the lower income.

  • Selling your clothes/accessories on the Poshmark app for men’s and women’s styles (Studies have shown that you only wear 20% of what you own, so take another look at your closet!)
  • Selling your unused/gently used items on Craigslist, Ebay, LetGo, etc.
  • Babysitting or pet sitting
  • Driving for a ride sharing company
  • Substitute teaching
  • List your spare room on Airbnb, VRBO, or other rental sites if you’ll be out of town for holidays/graduations
  • If you’re crafty, start an Etsy site and sell your work!