Are you sitting at your desk wondering whether a college education would help you earn more money at work? Even if a degree would help advance your career, where would you find the time or money? Fortunately, many colleges now offer courses online for busy people, and some online classes and degrees can be less expensive than campus education – even at the same college. Additionally, many accredited online programs now accept grants or even supply them to help students pay for that online degree.

You do not need to repay grants, so any grant money you can find could help you complete that degree with less loans. If you feel you don’t deserve these monies, think again – if you don’t go after them, someone else may snag the money you deserve.

The major difference between grants and scholarships is that grants are free gift money and they are primarily need-based funds. In other words, once you qualify for a grant and receive the funds, you don’t need to maintain a certain grade point average or fulfill other criteria unless specified. Grants can be divided into four searchable categories that can help you find the grant that may fit your needs. These grants are student-specific, subject-specific, degree level or minority grants.

Grants can be found through federal and state government programs, colleges and universities and through public and private organizations. Federal grants include the Pell Grant, the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) and the National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (SMART Grant). Although none of these grants will pay for a full educational experience alone, they can offer relief from paying for an entire online college education through your paycheck.

Although you can apply for these grants separately, you can apply for all these grants and more through FAFSA , or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This application takes some time to fill out, but your work on this project will help you to gather the paperwork necessary to apply for other grants. The U.S. government also provides other grants and scholarships that you can find through the Students.gov Web site.

You also may find grants for minority populations including those with a focus on African American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American students. Grants also are available for women, non-traditional students, low-income and disadvantaged populations, grants by degree (undergraduate, graduate and doctoral) or through military or other public or private organizations.

Grant monies administered by many government and university sources may be designed as grant for service programs. These programs provide students with the financial support necessary to cover tuition and, in exchange, they secure talented and well-educated staff to serve in their medical or educational facilities for a certain length of time either during school or after graduation.

You’ll spend time and effort to try to find and obtain these grants, and in some cases you may not be successful. However, when you do land a grant, you may discover that it was the best time and effort spent on obtaining funding for your online degree.

If your time is restricted by a career, family, or other responsibilities, you still can advance in your goals with an online education. An online education can offer options that are flexible and cost-friendly, while still fitting the need for today's highly demanding educational requirements in any field. Below you'll find a list of some of the top online universities offering well-regarded, accredited degree programs.

	University of Phoenix — Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate Degrees. University of Phoenix was one of the first accredited universities to offer degree programs online. You can trust an education with an institution that has more than a decade of experience in Web-based educational delivery.
	Kaplan University — Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's Degrees. Kaplan also offers continuing education, so working professionals can earn professional certificates to advance a career from a highly respected faculty.
	Ashford University — Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's Degrees. If you want to obtain or complete a degree online, Ashford University is an ideal choice for working adults. This online college is dedicated to providing quality learning opportunities for all students, with programs that are affordable, accessible, flexible and innovative.
	Capella University — Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate Degrees. Working adult professionals enjoy the flexibility and affordability of Capella University's easy-to-use online degree programs. Programs offered include business, education, healthcare, criminal justice, and more.
	Grand Canyon University — Bachelor's and Master's Degrees. Another Christian university, Grand Canyon was recently rated the #1 online university in the United States by OEDb. Degrees are offered in arts, business, IT, education, healthcare, criminal justice, and more.
	Liberty University — Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's Degrees. Liberty University was founded in 1971 by Rev. Jerry Falwell and today is the fastest-growing evangelical Christian university in the United States.
	Walden University — Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate Degrees. A member of the Laureate International Universities Network, Walden University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Walden's mission is to educate career professionals through online learning to effect positive social change.
	Westwood College — Associate's and Bachelor's Degrees. Well known for their top-notch criminal justice and computer/IT programs, Westwood College was founded in 1953 and has a total enrollment of more than 15,000 students spread across its 17 campuses and online programs.
	DeVry University — Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's Degrees. DeVry has a history of its students performing well in the job market upon graduation. Since 1975, nearly a quarter of a million students have graduated from DeVry and between 2003 and 2008, 96 of the Fortune 100 companies employed DeVry graduates.
	Boston University — Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate Degrees. Originally established in 1839 and chartered in 1869, Boston University is one of the leading private research institutions in the United States. BU boasts two primary campuses in the city of Boston, study-abroad programs around the world, and an online education program for distance learners.
	Everest University — Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's Degrees. Everest University Online allows you to earn a degree in a subject integral to your career objectives. You can continue to manage your career, family and home life while meeting your educational goals.
	Strayer University — Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's Degrees. Active military personnel, veterans, and their family members may find that Strayer is the ideal online learning institute of them, as it is a member of the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC).
	American InterContinental University — Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's Degrees. If you're looking to earn an online degree to improve your career, AIU Online can help prepare you for the journey. No matter whether you are a student just beginning to think about the future or you are a professional interested in advancing your career, you can seek a flexible solution to your educational needs at AIU Online.
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