Planning Expeditions

Financial Aid

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Photo Credit: Lydia Daniels

Make Your Course a Reality

Many people who attend NOLS courses use financial aid and scholarships to help fund their expeditions. At NOLS, we’re committed to working with you to make your course a reality.

Take a look at the following options to see what’s available to you, and please contact us with any questions you might have.

 
A group of students jumps in front of a rainbow in Alaska.
A student group backpacks under a golden canopy of aspen.

Scholarships

Every year, NOLS awards generous need-based scholarships. Our scholarships take into account unusual expenses, and special or changing circumstances. Scholarships can range from a small portion to larger amounts of the course cost. It is very rare for a scholarship to exceed 50% of the listed tuition price.

NOLS accepts and reviews scholarship applications on a rolling basis. We recommend applying for financial aid early, as our scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Please note: We are currenlty reviewing applications for courses that begin now through August 31, 2025.

Ready to apply? Choose the application for your course type:

529 Plans & AmeriCorps Awards

You are eligible to use your 529 College Savings Plan or AmeriCorps Education Award to cover a majority of the costs of your course, thanks to NOLS' partnership with Western Colorado University.

You can use your AmeriCorps Education Award for any NOLS expedition course five days or longer. For any expedition course 60 days or longer, NOLS will match your education award up to $2,000 dollars. AmeriCorps awards can be combined with other funding types, such as scholarships or 529 Plan funding.

Please read the pdf below for more details about this process and what you can cover using your funds.

Registration for 529 and AmeriCorps

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Student rock climbing in Wyoming's Fremont Canyon.

Veterans Benefits

You can use your veterans benefits for a Wyoming-based expedition. These courses are gateways to new careers, exploration, and personal growth.

Expeditions are an opportunity to explore some of the most remote wilderness in the Lower 48 while developing interpersonal and outdoor skills. You’ll finish your course with a certification that employers respect, a sense of community, and the skills to take on new adventures.  Benefits can be used for NOLS according to the Title 38 United States Code.

Read about using your Veterans Benefits with NOLS.

VA Benefits are eligible for the following expeditions

To learn more contact us.

Federal Aid & Consortium Agreements

Students currently attending a college or university can sometimes use federal financial aid or loans to help fund their NOLS course. 

NOLS cannot accept federal aid or loans directly, as we are not a Title IV, degree-granting institution, but we do offer the possibility of a consortium agreement to make the transfer of this aid possible.

Read how to use Federal Financial Aid & Consortium Agreements (pdf) for a course.

Students mountaineering on a snowy slope in the remote and rugged North Cascade Range.