Opportunity.gov provides sources for financing higher education for unemployed workers

An article in USA Today on May 11th, reported “that the Obama administration is encouraging states to change their rules so that laid-off workers can enroll in college without giving up unemployment benefits. Ordinarily, states require individuals who are collecting unemployment to look for a new job, which is difficult to do if you’re attending college”
This opportunity for job seekers to pursue education was included in President Obama’s February 26th address to a joint session of Congress:

“We must address … the urgent need to expand the promise of education in America. In a global economy where the most valuable skill you can sell is your knowledge, a good education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity — it is a pre-requisite…. And yet, just over half of our citizens have that level of education. We have one of the highest high school dropout rates of any industrialized nation. And half of the students who begin college never finish. This is a prescription for economic decline, because we know the countries that out-teach us today will out-compete us tomorrow. That is why it will be the goal of this administration to ensure that every child has access to a complete and competitive education — from the day they are born to the day they begin a career.”

The Obama administration has launched a website targeted at unemployed workers who want to go back to school – www.opportunity.gov. The web site provides a pathway for unemployed workers to submit for the funding resources they need to go back to school to retool or retrain. The site mentioned federal grant aid, such as Pell Grants, which is need-based and depends on the total income of your family. Federal student loans are available regardless of your income level. Financial aid administrators at participating institutions have been urged to take an unemployed person’s current economic circumstance into account when determining a student’s eligibility for Pell Grants and other student assistance.

A student must also meet certain other eligibility requirements including (1) not being in default on a federal student loan, (2) having a high school diploma, General Education Development (GED) equivalency or otherwise demonstrate his/her ability to benefit from the education or training offered, and (3) being a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen. Pell Grants are not available to students who have already received a bachelor’s degree.

Federal Pell Grants are available if you are taking classes as part of a program that leads to an undergraduate degree or certificate. Federal student aid, including Pell Grants, can be used to cover a variety of costs, generally including:

• Tuition and fees normally assessed
• Books, supplies, transportation, and miscellaneous personal expenses
• Living expenses such as room and board; and
• An allowance for costs expected to be incurred for dependent care for a student with dependents.

To be eligible for federal financial aid, you first need to complete a FAFSA form.