If you’re wondering how to find distance learning scholarships in order to pay for an online or distance learning degree program, never fear. As long as your online or distance learning program is accredited by an authentic accrediting agency, you should be eligible for the same scholarships you could get if your program was taught on campus.

Distance learning and online degree programs have gained new respect over the last few years. Some private scholarship sponsors may restrict their awards to campus programs only, but not many. Legitimately accredited distance learning and online programs are eligible for federal grants as well as countless private scholarships.

Although you don’t need to find distance learning scholarships to cover your online degree program, it’s interesting to discover that at least a couple exist. One is the “Better Opportunities Through Online Education” program from University of Maryland University College (UMUC), whose degree and certificate programs are geared towards nontraditional and online students. If you’re selected to become a BOTOE scholar, a program scholarship covers your UMUC tuition.

Another distance learning online scholarship is offered by American InterContinental University. You can learn about that scholarship for working women in an earlier post on this blog.

Where to find private scholarships

Your search for scholarships should always begin on the federal Student Aid Website, where you can fill out a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) online. Just about every sponsor of private scholarships will require you to file a FAFSA before applying for their scholarship. On the same federal site, you’ll find a scholarship database where you can search for scholarships by academic subject, minority, sport, school name, or any other categorization you can think of.

Learn more about distance learning and online scholarships

You can also learn more about the general topic of distance learning and online financial aid from these earlier blog posts:

• Scholarships for Nontraditional Students
• 10 Things Online Students Should Know About Pell Grants
• Financial Aid for an Online Degree

The main thing to remember when you’re wondering how to pay for your online or distance learning degree is that you’re not required to find solely online- or distance learning-specific scholarships. Try to find scholarships that you have the greatest chance of winning and ask the scholarship sponsors if an accredited online or distance learning program is eligible.