5 Ways To Pay For Your Summer Program

Summer enrichment opportunities can be life changing experiences, but many of the best programs require some form of down payment or enrollment fee of some kind. While there are many low cost programs out there, cost is the leading factor for many students when they’re choosing a program. For this reason, it's important to know all of the options available to you when it comes to financing a summer program.

Here are 5 of the most common ways that students and parents can pay for a summer program: 

1. Scholarships 

While not nearly as common as academic scholarships to colleges or universities, summer program scholarships do exist. Most of these scholarships require that the program awards college credit, but many of the experiences in this guide do just that. Additionally, a number of counselors and consultants offer speciality support scholarships for students enrolling in various types of summer programs. Individual programs too may also offer scholarships or financial aid to qualifying students, so be sure to inquire when exploring programs.

2. A 529 Tax Savings Account

Some students may be able to use a 529 tax savings account to help fund their summer programs experience. This too requires that the program awards college credit but, if it does, a 529 can be used for all sorts of expenses, not just program tuition. While the primary goal of your summer programs shouldn’t just be getting college credit, finding a program that offers it can certainly help reduce the total cost overall, so keep that in mind when making your decision.

3. Donations and Gifts

If there are no scholarships available for your preferred program or if the experience does not offer college credit, you may have to be more creative with your summer program funding. Many students hold a fundraising campaign through sites like Go Fund Me or other online platforms to afford their summer program. Other students may write to family members, friends and local businesses and churches, asking for small contributions to fund their experience. It’s important to be honest and clear in these situations about where and how the money will be used though; explain to potential donors what you hope to gain from your summer experience and how their gift will help you achieve it. When done with transparency and persistence, this can be one of the most effective ways to raise money for a summer program experience.

4. Working 

While some summer enrichment programs last a number of months, many programs are only a week or so in length. This means that, while your summer program may be the best part of your time off school, it certainly won’t be the only thing you do that year. Because of this, students may be able to get a summer job to help fund their program experience. If the timing is right, consider working for the majority of their summer and storing away a little bit of money every week to help pay for your summer program. Not only will you get another valuable item for your resume, but you’ll have the opportunity to use your hard-earned money on a truly transformative experience.

5. All of the Above! 

The truth is that, for many students, no single method listed above will pay for the full cost of their summer program. In fact, depending on the program, you may need to employ two or three of the options mentioned here, and that’s perfectly reasonable! With a combination of scholarships, donations, savings and more though, any student can fund the summer program of their dreams.