Finding the Best Online Radiation Therapy Programs with Financial Aid

Inside Online Radiation Therapy Degrees with Financial Aid

When researching online radiation therapy programs, start with these five essential characteristics:

• Admissions requirements. Can you get in? If so, what materials do you need to assemble to make the process as smooth as possible?
• Online features (fully-online vs. hybrid, synchronous vs. asynchronous delivery). Are you comfortable with the use of online coursework?
• Program lengths. How long are you willing to commit to a program?
• Proper accreditation. Does each school have regional accreditation?
• Study pace (full-time, part-time). Which schedule fits your needs the best?

And, of course, you’ll be looking for programs that are both affordable and offer valuable financial aid options.

To get you started on your program search, we’ve profiled below three current online radiation therapy bachelor’s programs featuring affordable costs and access to funding opportunities.

Financial Aid Eligibility & Application Checklist

If you’re going to need financial aid to help pay for your radiation therapy program, it’s important to get started on the application process as soon as possible. Below is a checklist of the steps you’ll take in that process to keep you on track and set you up for success.

Complete the FAFSA Early

One of the very first things you’ll want to do to start your funding search is fill out and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is used to apply for practically all forms of Federal Student Aid, including loans, grants, work-study, loan forgiveness programs, and more.

The FAFSA is also used by state agencies and many college-sponsored financial aid resources as well.

You’ll apply online. And, as the title says, filing the FAFSA is free.

Review Eligibility Criteria and Requirements

Searching for financial aid resources is both time consuming and detail-oriented. It’s important not to cut corners, though, because by doing so you may find yourself spending even more time and effort applying for something for which you’re not eligible.

It’s easy to do, but you can avoid making such a mistake by reviewing very carefully the specific requirements to be met for each financial aid award you’re interested in. And if you’re not sure that you qualify, contact the program and ask.

Check Deadlines and Apply Early

The biggest mistake you can make in your financial aid pursuit is to miss the deadline on a funding opportunity you really want. And the worst part is that it’s an avoidable one.

So, make it an absolute priority to note on your smartphone and laptop calendars any and all deadlines. In fact, get yourself an old-fashioned wall calendar, write in all deadlines in bright red ink, and hang it up where you’ll see it everyday.

Let’s be crystal clear on this: A missed deadline on a financial aid application or any necessary supplemental materials means almost certain doom to any chance you have at landing that award.

As for applying early, the general rule is that it’s a good thing. Doing so gives you the opportunity to be one of the first to make an impression on the selection committee.

Just make sure you don’t rush it. Getting your application right is more important than getting it in early.

Gather All Necessary Documents

Along with your application, there will be plenty of other paperwork to wrangle when applying for grants and scholarships. These supplemental materials often include:

• Academic transcripts
• Essays
• Financial documentation (e.g., FAFSA or tax returns)
• Letters of recommendation
• Personal statements
• Resume or CV

Compiling these documents will take longer than you think, so get going on them right away.

Receive Feedback on Supplemental Materials

Whether you’re confident in your writing or not, it’s a very good idea to get an outside opinion on the quality of your supplemental materials (statement of purpose, application essays, etc.) before you submit them.

So, after you’ve put some real time and effort into those materials, writing and rewriting them until you’ve got them as good as you can, your next step is not to send them in.

Instead, seek out one or more individuals you can trust (like a professional writer, teacher, or English major) to give them a thorough going over. Once that’s done and you’ve incorporated their advice into your materials, then it’s time to submit them to the scholarship or other financial aid opportunity you wrote them for.

Review Award Letters

If you land one or more financial aid awards, congratulations.

But before you celebrate, carefully review your award letter(s) and make sure you understand all requirements and obligations you’ll be agreeing to by accepting the award. These may include:

• Maintaining minimum academic requirements, such as a minimum GPA, full-time study, not changing your major, etc.
• Adhering to the award sponsor’s stated code of conduct.
• Committing to participation in sponsor events or volunteer activities.
• Post-graduation commitments, such as public service obligations to work for a state agency for a given length of time.

If you cannot or will not agree to meet such obligations, it is probably to your benefit to turn the award down. Otherwise, you will likely be required to pay the award back with interest and/or penalty.

Common Funding Options for Radiation Therapy Students

There are lots of financial aid options available to radiation therapy students, but not all funding types are created created equal. Each comes with its own unique requirements and obligations.

Below are descriptions of some of the most popular types of financial aid to consider to help pay for your online radiation therapy degree program.

Federal Student Aid

The most common form of financial aid is the student loan. That’s because student loans are likely the easiest resource to tap into.

Sources for student loans include state government agencies and private lenders, but the biggest provider of student loans in the U.S. by far is the federal government through the Federal Student Aid program.

Federal student loans are a great option that features low fixed rates and flexible repayment plans, but only take on as much loan debt as you absolutely need. Carrying excessive student debt over time can cause serious problems to your credit scores and negatively impact your financial security overall.

Institutional Aid

Your program’s college or university likely offers a number of its own financial aid opportunities, including ones that may be available exclusively for its radiation therapy students.

Common forms of institutional aid include:

• Scholarships
• Grants
• Work-study

Details vary from school to school, but requirements often include exhaustion of all other potential funding sources (federal student aid, external scholarships and grants, etc.) prior to the awarding of institutional aid.

Payment Plans

If you’re among the great majority of students whose financial aid resources fall short of covering your entire degree bill, then you may be able to take advantage of any of a number of tuition payment plan options. These plans are often offered directly by schools themselves and available in two basic types:

• Tuition deferment: Allowing students to put off payment of their tuitions until after completing their studies and, hopefully, gaining full employment.
• Tuition installment plans: Allowing students to pay for their tuitions over time in monthly installments.

These payment plans typically do not charge interest, but most require payment of an upfront participation fee. Details vary from program to program, however, so be sure you have a clear understanding of all obligations you’ll take on before signing up.

Scholarships & Grants

Scholarships and grants are the most popular forms of financial aid because they’re not paid back, making them essentially “free money” for a student’s education. Scholarships are typically merit-based and competitive while grants require applicants to demonstrate financial need.

While typically harder to obtain than many other types of financial aid, the ongoing national shortage of qualified radiation therapists had resulted in a greater than normal supply of private and government grant opportunities for radiation therapy students.

Therefore, it’s well worth your time to search out potential scholarships and grants you may be eligible for. The best way to start that search is by contacting the financial aid offices at each of the schools your considering for your online radiation therapy program.

ASRT Foundation Scholarships

• Amount: $500-5,000
• The American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) sponsors over 20 scholarship opportunities specifically for prospective radiation therapy students to support the costs of their studies.

Elekta Funds Educational Scholarships for the Training of Radiation Therapists

• Amount: $5,000
• Elekta’s Radiation Therapy Scholarship is awarded to the best and brightest radiation therapy students to help them meet their academic and career goals. Six awards are given annually.