Oregon Student Loans And Financial Aid Programs

There are several Oregon student loan and financial aid programs that can help you pay for college. If you're going to be attending college in Oregon, you need to be looking to take advantage of these programs.

These programs are designed to help make college more affordable - so that you can get the education you need. These programs can include scholarships, grants, and student loans.

Don't forget that there are Federal student loan programs available as well. You can find out more on how to get a Federal student loan here.

There is also a specific order of operations to pay for college that we recommend students follow. These programs specific to the State of Oregon can help you to avoid borrowing more money than you need to. 

Oregon Student Loan Programs

Oregon doesn't have any unique student loan programs to help it's students pay for college. However, there are still Federal student loans available to students who attend college in Oregon. 

If you're just looking for private student loan options, we recommend:

• Credible - Like the Kayak of student loans, they help you shop around and compare options. Try Credible here.
• College Ave - One of the best private student loan lenders. Get A Quote At College Ave Here.

Check out our complete guide to finding the best student loans here.

Oregon Scholarship Programs

Oregon has several scholarships available to students who want to attend school in the state.

Oregon maintains a huge listing of over $18 million in scholarship funding for Oregon residents. Check out the State of Oregon Scholarship listing here.

Oregon Grant Programs

Oregon also has a grant program to provide need based financial aid to Oregon residents.

Grants are one of the best forms of financial aid because, in most circumstances, you don't have to pay the money back.

Oregon Opportunity Grant

Oregon Opportunity Grant (OOG) is Oregon's largest state-funded, need-based grant program for college students. Approximately 40,000 students receive Opportunity Grants each year.

The maximum award amount is $5,904 at an Oregon community colleges and $7,424 at an Oregon public university or an Oregon-based private nonprofit 4-year college or university. The current SAI limit for eligible students is 8,000. Students must be enrolled full-time, full-year (i.e., 12 credits or more per each term) to receive a maximum award. A portion of the award is released to a student's account each semester or quarter. Awards are pro-rated for part-time or part-year enrollment.  

You can learn more about the Oregon Opportunity Grant here.

Oregon Promise Grant

Oregon Promise is a state grant that helps to cover tuition costs at any Oregon community college for recent high school graduates and GED® test graduates.

Awards range from $2,000 to $4,422 per year (in 2023-24) for full-time students, minus a $50 co-pay per term. 

Learn more about Oregon Promise here.

Oregon National Guard State Tuition Assistance Grant

To provide funding for tuition at Oregon community colleges (up to 90 credits) and public universities (up to 180 credits) for current Oregon National Guard members.

Learn more about the National Guard State Tuition Assistance Grant.

Other Options

If you already have student loans and are looking for options as a Oregon resident, check out our Oregon Student Loan Forgiveness Program page. That page has all the different options available to Oregon residents to potentially get some of your student loan debt forgiven.

You might also look at refinancing your student loans and saving money in interest while also potentially lowering your payment. Check out our guide on the Best Places To Refinance Your Student Loans.

If you're looking to save money for college in Oregon, check out our Oregon 529 Plan and College Savings Guide.

Finally, check out the other student loan and financial aid programs by state.