{"id":4500,"date":"2019-04-09T10:01:56","date_gmt":"2019-04-09T15:01:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aoeudev.wpengine.com\/2019\/04\/how-to-fund-your-masters-degree-program\/"},"modified":"2024-07-16T11:41:48","modified_gmt":"2024-07-16T16:41:48","slug":"how-to-fund-your-masters-degree-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theartofeducation.edu\/2019\/04\/how-to-fund-your-masters-degree-program\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Fund Your Master’s Degree Program"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you are like me, everything about pursuing higher education is appealing. Interacting with like-minded colleagues in the field, learning new, relevant information to revitalize your curriculum, stretching your view of art education, and challenging yourself to go further than you ever thought you could.\u00a0And the guaranteed pay raise is the cherry on top, right?<\/p>\n

It all seems so exciting and glorious…until you consider the cost. Sometimes,\u00a0even reasonable tuition can seem like a lofty dream when budgets are tight. So, you tuck your dream away for another time when you have more money, fewer expenses, or both.<\/p>\n

Well, what if I told you there are creative ways to fund your master’s degree? And that\u00a0investing in yourself<\/a> is ALWAYS a good idea!<\/h2>\n

\"AOEU\"<\/p>\n

This may sound strange, but in order to get creative, the first thing you have to do is math. Specifically, take the total tuition and break it into something much less scary and much more manageable. Luckily, AOEU’s tuition is one of the least expensive master’s degrees out there. And, if you think about the cost per month, it quickly becomes even more reasonable.<\/p>\n

The next thing to do is budget.<\/h3>\n

You might consider items you could cut out or cut back on to help you hit your monthly tuition target. It is worth it to take a detailed look at your spending, so you know where every dollar goes. That $4 cup of coffee, for example, can easily add up to a $100\/month expense. Eating out is another area to consider cutting back. What about subscription services? Or cutting back on television options? Sometimes we get so used to monthly fees we fail to notice just how much they impact our bottom line.<\/p>\n

As you consider tightening the belt, keep in mind that this is a short-term adjustment. <\/strong>The end goal is a completed degree, a potential raise, and more financial freedom!<\/p>\n

Are you still coming up short? Don’t fret! I have outlined even more, creative options to help you fund your master’s degree.<\/h2>\n

\"woman<\/p>\n

1. Take advantage of district funds.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Professional development funds exist, but you have to seek them out. It is also important to understand exactly how they work and what limits apply. You will want to know if there are any deadlines and how payment works. Some schools pay directly with a purchase order, while others reimburse teachers upon successful completion of courses.<\/p>\n

Insider Tip:<\/strong> District funds go quickly! Have your paperwork polished and ready to submit as soon as the application window opens.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

2. Explore grant and scholarship opportunities.<\/h3>\n

Scholarships and grants provide educational funding that can be used for tuition, fees, and other education expenses and they do not have to be repaid!<\/p>\n

Check out Graduate School Scholarships<\/a> to explore your options. And get organized. You will want to have your resume\/CV<\/a>, letters of recommendation, references, etc. prepped and ready to go.<\/p>\n

Insider Tip:<\/strong> Grant applications can take time, but free tuition is worth the extra effort!<\/em><\/p>\n

Here’s a download<\/a> that can help you with this process.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Download Now!<\/a><\/p>\n

3. Leverage your lane change.<\/h3>\n

Research your district’s salary schedule, so you have a clear understanding of how earning your master’s degree will affect your net salary over time. Some districts offer smaller pay increases for incremental steps in between degrees, such as a BA + 12 and BA + 24 credit hours. If you time it right, you can use this increased salary to fund your degree, and you won’t feel a thing because this salary increase is not part of your existing budget.<\/p>\n

Insider Tip:<\/strong> Pay attention to deadlines. You don’t want to miss a salary increase for an entire year by a few days. Make sure you have the credentials you need from the issuing institution ahead of time. At AOEU, you can download an unofficial transcript just seven days after the course end date.<\/em><\/p>\n

4. Transfer in outside credits.<\/h3>\n

If you have taken graduate-level courses within the last five years, they might apply toward your AOEU degree, reducing the overall credits required and total tuition! Check out the Transfer Credit Policy<\/a> for full details. Completing the Transfer Credit Request Form<\/a> is the first step.<\/p>\n

Insider Tip:<\/strong> The Transfer Credit Request Form requires course syllabi and an official transcript documenting credits earned before processing.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

If getting a master’s degree is a personal goal, you can<\/em> get there. It just might require a creative approach! To find out more about the master’s degrees at AOEU, fill out this quick form<\/a> or connect with our Admissions Team<\/a> directly at admissions@theartofeducation.edu<\/a> or 515.236.5050.<\/p>\n

What is your biggest professional goal? <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Do you have any budgeting tips to share?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you are like me, everything about pursuing higher education is appealing. Interacting with like-minded colleagues in the field, learning new, relevant information to revitalize your curriculum, stretching your view of art education, and challenging yourself to go further than you ever thought you could.\u00a0And the guaranteed pay raise is the cherry on top, right? […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":123,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3467,3466,3468,3465],"tags":[2323,2532,2533,2534],"class_list":["post-4500","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-advocacy","category-professional-learning","category-professional-practice","category-professionalism","tag-aoeu","tag-budgeting-for-graduate-degree","tag-financial-aid","tag-masters-degree-cost"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Fund Your Master's Degree Program - The Art of Education University<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How to Fund Your Master's Degree Program Professional Learning % %\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/theartofeducation.edu\/2019\/04\/how-to-fund-your-masters-degree-program\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Fund Your Master's Degree Program\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"How to Fund Your Master's Degree Program Professional Learning % %\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/theartofeducation.edu\/2019\/04\/how-to-fund-your-masters-degree-program\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Art of Education University\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/theartofed\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-04-09T15:01:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-07-16T16:41:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/theartofeducation.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/mainclassroom-1024x576.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Shannon Lauffer\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@theartofed\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@theartofed\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Shannon Lauffer\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/theartofeducation.edu\/2019\/04\/how-to-fund-your-masters-degree-program\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/theartofeducation.edu\/2019\/04\/how-to-fund-your-masters-degree-program\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Shannon Lauffer\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/theartofeducation.edu\/#\/schema\/person\/602bc33c4568a5b292e94a0a19394894\"},\"headline\":\"How to Fund Your Master’s Degree Program\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-04-09T15:01:56+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-07-16T16:41:48+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/theartofeducation.edu\/2019\/04\/how-to-fund-your-masters-degree-program\/\"},\"wordCount\":802,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/theartofeducation.edu\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/theartofeducation.edu\/2019\/04\/how-to-fund-your-masters-degree-program\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/theartofeducation.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/mainclassroom-1024x576.png\",\"keywords\":[\"AOEU\",\"budgeting for graduate degree\",\"financial aid\",\"master's degree cost\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Advocacy\",\"Professional Learning\",\"Professional Practice\",\"Professionalism\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/theartofeducation.edu\/2019\/04\/how-to-fund-your-masters-degree-program\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/theartofeducation.edu\/2019\/04\/how-to-fund-your-masters-degree-program\/\",\"name\":\"How to Fund Your Master's Degree Program - 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