UTAH TECH UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE | March 29, 2024

Making extra money in college 

Money can be one of the biggest stressors in a college student’s life. Luckily, there are many different options to gain that extra cash. Photo by Alexander Mils on Unsplash.

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Making money in college can be difficult. Balancing school with your job and trying to fit a social life into the mix can be challenging.

Here’s a list of ways to make some extra cash without having to get a job.

College students are infamous for student debt and partying, but what if there was a way to just be known for partying?

Donating plasma

BioLife is a quick way to make money while also helping people in need. Donating plasma is super important as plasma can only come from healthy adults and can’t be synthetically made in labs. 

According to the American Red Cross, “Plasma is commonly given to trauma, burn and shock patients, as well as people with severe liver disease or multiple clotting factor deficiencies.” 

At the St. George BioLife Center you can get up to $900 after eight donations. Donations typically take around 20-30 minutes and you have a team to take care of you to make sure the donation goes smoothly. 

The BioLife website says that before a donor is accepted they must pass a medical examination. This is to ensure you’re healthy and the donation won’t impact you or the plasma recipient negatively.

Apply for scholarships

Another easy way to get money in college is applying for scholarships. Dixie State University has a plethora of opportunities ranging from the Tylenol Scholarship, which is for students pursuing a career in healthcare, or the CEC TV Sports Production Scholarships, which is for students who want to be involved in videography and broadcasting live events. Most scholarships have a GPA requirement of 2.5 or above and students must be enrolled full time at DSU, which means at least 12 credits. 

According to DSU academic policies, “Most financial aid requires undergraduate students to be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credits to receive full benefits, although some academic scholarships require 15 credits per semester.”

FAFSA

Applying for financial aid is also a great way to help students stay out of debt. Complete a free application for Federal Student Aid form to see if you’re eligible for aid. Once a student receives FAFSA it doesn’t need to be paid back. Some students can even receive up to $6,495 in Pell grants for the full academic year.

Pells grants were created to help students in low income houses have the opportunity to get an education. DSU also has the lowest tuition in the state which makes it an even better option.

FAFSA is the largest provider of student financial aid in the United States. Through them about 10 million students each year are able to go to college or a career school.

Doordash, Uber Eats and Lyft

If none of those options sound good enough, DoorDash, Uber Eats and Lyft are also easy ways to make money on your own terms. Delivering food and taking people on short rides can actually make you more money then you might think. The average DoorDash delivery driver actually makes anywhere from $15 to $25 an hour.

Although staying debt free in college may seem daunting, there are resources to help students achieve their goals. For more information on scholarships and eligibility check out the DSU financial aid website, or go to the financial aid office on the first floor of the Holland building to learn more about how to apply for scholarships, FAFSA, and other opportunities you may be eligible for.