One of the best ways to invest in yourself and your future begins with pursuing education in a field that interests you. However, achieving this goal requires some financial planning and while this task may seem overwhelming, the good news is that we're here to help you.

At YTI Career Institute, we are dedicated to helping develop a plan to pay for your education through our financial aid programs. Here are a few options and resources you can utilize in order to financially plan for your future.

Which type of loan fits my financial need?

Loans are funds that must be repaid. The U.S Department of Education offers the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, the largest federal student loan program available. This loan program offers a few types of direct loans to students including Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, and Direct PLUS loans.

Direct Subsidized Loans are made to eligible students who demonstrate financial need to help cover the costs of education following high school at career schools like ours. Direct Unsubsidized Loans are made to eligible students, but in this case, you do not have to demonstrate financial need to be eligible for the loan.

If your parents are assisting with the cost of your education, they may be eligible for the direct PLUS loan. Direct PLUS Loans are loans made to parents of dependent students to help pay for education expenses not covered by other financial aid.

The difference between grants and scholarships

Grants and scholarships are different from loans and are awarded to students, and thus, do not need to be repaid. Typically, grants are awarded to students based on need and can be awarded by the government, school, or private organizations.

Scholarships are typically given to select students based upon merit like academic success or interests. There are many scholarships offered to qualifying students nationwide through outside organizations. YTI Career Institute also offers Beacon Scholarships for high school seniors interested in pursuing careers in any of our programs.

One important step

Before you begin the financial aid process, you are required to complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA form uses data to determine a student's financial need through the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The data needed for the FAFSA includes your tax returns, bank statements, and other income tax information. Once you fill out the FAFSA form, we can help you find specific financial aid packages that may fit your needs.

Visit TheFutureIWantNow.com/YTI to schedule a visit to one of our YTI Career Institute campuses in Central Pennsylvania and see how our school can help guide you to financially planning for your future career.