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How to Pay for College

How Much Does College Cost?

The first step in paying for college is knowing how much college costs. Danville Area Community College is a great place to start due to the cost savings.

Paying for College

College can be expensive, but it is an investment in yourself that will benefit you for years and years. How do you finance college? There are many methods to pay for college. Listed below are several ways to pay for college. Many students utilize more than one method to finance their college education.

Financial Aid

The first step in applying for financial aid is to fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). The FAFSA can be completed the spring of your senior year, after your parents have filed their income tax forms (this information is required to complete the FAFSA). The FAFSA is detailed, but the DACC Financial Aid Office is always willing to help students. You can contact them by phone at (217) 443-8891, by visiting their office (no appointment needed), or by attending one of their Financial Aid Nights at the local high schools.

In addition to the FAFSA determining your eligibility for federal or state aid, it is also the first step in applying for a federal student loan, and/or many scholarship applications require the FAFSA to be completed first.

Student Loans

Federal loans are available to eligible students. For more information on student loans visit our Financial Aid Loans site.

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DL Student Loans

To be eligible to apply for any of the Title IV student loans you must:

  • Apply for financial aid using the FAFSA
  • Have a completed, verified as accurate, student aid file on record
  • Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards
  • Complete the Federal Stafford Loan (DL) Request Form
  • Attend loan Entrance counseling and other special requirements if applicable.  
  • Be enrolled in an eligible program in at least half-time enrollment status
  • Have Official Grade Transcripts from previous colleges submitted to DACC for evaluation
  • Be enrolled in only course work relevant to your program of study
  • Meet  DL Program Regulations per 34 CFR part 668
  • Meet School priority processing deadlines (published on campus kiosks, in Campus Planner & on the WEB

Apply for Scholarships

The DACC Foundation makes applying for scholarships easy! With one application (available January 1st of your senior year and due back by Feb. 15th) you can apply for over 70 different scholarships. The scholarships awarded will be applied toward the next Fall & Spring semesters.

Check out the state-sponsored "scholarship finder tool" at https://www.isac.org/students/during-college/types-of-financial-aid/scholarships/index.html. Answer the questionnaire and find out what scholarships you might be eligible for. You can also send the questionnaire in via mail for a $10.00 fee.

logo of the dacc foundation and under the logo is a hand with a graduation cap and a coin with the dollar symbol

Foundation Scholarships

DACC Foundation Scholarships has been known to give a scholarship to all students that apply.

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Financial Aid Scholarships

Each year donors in the Danville Area present monetary awards to DACC students. Each of the donors determines the criteria for selection of the scholarship recipients.  Approximately 200 awards are presented yearly. Recipients acknowledge their Donors at the annual Honors Program held in September.

Payment Plans

To help you meet your educational expenses, DACC is pleased to offer the NBS (formerly FACTS) Payment Plan as a convenient option. NBS is a tuition management plan that provides you with a low cost option for budgeting tuition and fees. It is not a loan program; therefore, you have no debt, there are no interest or finance charges assessed and there is no credit check. The only cost is a $25.00 per semester non-refundable enrollment fee.

Go to the payment plan page to enroll in the payment plan or stop by the Admissions Office for an NBS brochure.

Third Party Payment

Check to see if your employer or your parents' employers have a tuition-assistance program. Some employers reimburse students for successfully completed college courses, especially when the coursework pertains to the job. If a third party, such as your employer, will be paying for your tuition, notify DACC by the bill due date in order to stay enrolled in your classes.