College Students With Children May Be Eligible for a Child Care Subsidy
If you are a college student who is also a parent, you may not be aware that there are federal grants to help you pay for child care.
As MarketWatch explains, 22 percent of today’s college students are parents, but a new report from the US Government Audit Office shows that many of these students are unaware they may be eligible for a child care subsidy:
Officials at the watchdog agency said Thursday that 40 of the 62 unidentified college websites they surveyed did not mention the possibility of including parental allowance in financial aid calculations.
The report says that from the schools are not required to report on the possibility of obtaining financing students, but the omission is important.
The report explains that if parent-students use childcare subsidies, it could free up more loans that they can use for their education.
These grants are available through the US Department of Education’s Parents in a School with Child Care Access Program (CCAMPIS), which enables colleges and universities to receive grants that can be used to provide on-campus childcare services (including before and after school.) and / or offer child care subsidies to low-income students who are eligible for Pell Grants. The GAO report notes that the average monthly cost of childcare for parents of students is about $ 490, and the average monthly CCAMPIS subsidy is $ 160.
If a college or university has not applied for CCAMPIS funding, students will not be able to request or access this resource, although their college / university may have other options to help students who are pursuing their degree while raising a family. The Ministry of Education maintains a list of institutions that have received CCAMPIS funding , so check if your school (or future school) is on this list.
If you are a student who is also a parent, or a parent looking to become a student, start asking financial aid offices about CCAMPIS. You may be able to cover some of your childcare costs, which will give you more time, energy, and money to spend on your education.