Saving for
personal education
Because you deserve to pursue higher education
What if I don’t want to take out a loan?
- Ask your loved ones for help: Your parents or extended family members might contribute, even if it is a small amount.
- Get a part-time job or summer internship: This is a tried-but-true method, and helps take the sting out of paying for your tertiary education.
- Work full-time and attend school part-time: Sure, you’ll be busy, but you’ll be able to support yourself while investing in your future.
- Look for schools that suit your budget: Harvard, for example, is a great school, but it’s also an expensive one. University/College is what you get out of it, not what you pay for it.
- Use your exam scores: Academic excellence can qualify you for scholarships, but be prepared to devote a lot of time to applying for these.
- Talk to our experts: We’ve helped countless people fund their tertiary educations and can help you find ways that will work best for you.
Onward to higher education
After graduating from high school, you might be thinking about attending a tertiary institution and earning a Bachelor's or Master's degree or some other form of certification. Your advanced studies will expand your mind to new and exciting ideas, and if the course of study is well chosen, it should make you more marketable.
But don’t forget, a tertiary education (like many things in life) can be costly. Tuition, books, and other fees can be very expensive, and these numbers are expected to continue to soar in the coming years.
What happens when limited funds get in the way of your dreams of higher education? Fortunately, you’ve got options when it comes to paying for your education, some you might not even be aware of.
How am I going to pay for all this?
As we know, tuition costs can be steep, and it doesn’t stop there. You also have to consider the price of books, supplies, and other expenses...the list goes on.
The best thing to do is start saving for higher education now. Education, can be expensive and can rarely be paid for ‘on the fly.’
Consider these factors, as you estimate the cost of a tertiary education:
- Would the potential income from your new career compensate you for the amount you spent?
- Is your chosen school out of the country or close to home?
- Is it a public or private institution?
- What major/career have you chosen?
- How long is the course of study?
- Does your schedule allow you to study full-time? Or would you need to spread out your studies over a longer period of time?
How much more would you need to pay in miscellaneous expenses, for example printing etc. Once you answer these questions and start exploring schools, you can explore options for paying for your tertiary education.
Tertiary study too expensive? Consider loans and scholarships
Paying for your tertiary education may seem impossible, but don’t worry. If you really want to go, you have options.
Loans are your first major option. If you’ve never taken out a loan before, you’re going to want to think long and hard about what school you’re going to attend. Consider Aaliyah. She got into two different schools: one is an expensive, brand name school with a TT$800,000 a year price tag. The other is still a good school, but less well-known, with tuition set at TT$400,000 per year.
Before she takes out the loan, she might want to consider scholarships. Every little bit helps, but the best scholarships can pay the entire tuition; those are definitely worth looking into.
In Trinidad, we also have the Government Assistance for Tuition Expenses Programme(GATE) which, depending on the level, (Bachelor's, Master's) can provide half or quarter of your tertiary education. On average tertiary education per year can amount to approximately TT$100,000 without GATE.
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