External Payment Resources

We are committed to working with you to find ways to finance your education. Our staff is readily available to discuss cost and budgeting concerns. We also can help you explore merit-based scholarship and loan opportunities.

Call us at 704-894-2232 or 800-768-0380, email us at financialaidoffice@davidson.edu.

We also encourage you to pursue possible funding from local organizations, employers, foundations, and corporations. High school guidance offices and public libraries are good sources of information.

Home Equity Loans

Home equity loans may provide an excellent opportunity to use equity in primary residences to finance college costs. Such programs offer competitive rates and tax benefits not available through other programs. Contact your local lending institutions (banks, savings and loans, etc.) for additional information.

Lines of Credit and Education Loans

A growing number of banks and other lending institutions, many of them private foundations created for just this purpose, offer lines of credit and loans which can be used to pay tuition and other educational costs. The application process, interest rates, and repayment requirements are similar for both types of financing.

Outside Scholarships

Free financial aid and scholarship search services, such as FinAid, provide you with a searchable database of general and specialized scholarships to which you can match your interests and skills. Review scholarship directories available in your high school guidance office or in the reference section of your public library. Many local, regional, and national organizations sponsor scholarship programs for college students, as do religious organizations, civic groups, service clubs, parents' employers, and local Chambers of Commerce.

In our experience, companies that offer to provide scholarship searches for a fee do little more than you can do yourself by contacting your guidance counselor, your school or local librarian, or the financial aid offices at the schools you are considering.

Payment Plans

Basic plans with Nelnet will allow you to pay annual college expenses in monthly installments. Information about this plan is sent to all enrolled students. For more information about this and other payment options, please see Billing and Making a Payment.