De Anza College’s Office of Equity addressed students’ financial concerns about tuition fees in the online Zoom event, Financial Hustle, on Oct. 22.

Adriana Garcia, administrative assistant of the Office of Equity, believes that it is crucial for students to have information about their own financial wellness.

“Your journey includes not only academic success but also financial success,”  Garcia said. 

Michelle Arango, an undeclared major, said that she has been struggling with being unable to pay tuition because she’s an international student.

Garcia advised that students with similar worries to Arango should seek out resources that can help them.

“I would say start making a list of scholarships you’re going to apply to and you can ask people like your mentors, counselors or faculty to give you feedback on your personal statement,” Garcia said.

Sofia Abad, coordinator for the Occupational Training Institute, said that students do not need to be considered low income to qualify for financial aid.

“Many students worry that they need to be low income in order to qualify but that’s not necessarily true because you just need to be in the field you’re studying in,” she said.

Students were also advised to take advantage of the Promise program, as well as financial aid.

Scott Olsen, ETS technician, said students should be careful when choosing their bank.

“There are a lot of banks out there that charge a lot of fees,” he said. “I recommend local credit unions, like the U.S. Bank we have on campus, that offers lower interest rates on credit cards than some of the other banks in case you get into trouble.” 

The CARES Act, a federal grant given to colleges during the pandemic, is another way students can receive financial aid.

 Students can fill out an application on De Anza’s website to apply for a one-time cash grant for an emergency situation through the CARES Act funds.

But Olsen said that students may be unaware of the funds available because of the process required.

“I know the school was paid to give out money to students who are struggling but the information just gets buried and they don’t make it super intuitive,” he said.

Students can continue to contact the Financial Aid Office for any financial concerns they may have.