It’s never too late to go back to school. In fact, if you’re past the “traditional” college age or have a family, you’re actually doing yourself a favor by getting a college degree. With that diploma, you are more likely to earn a higher paycheck—which is great news for all you future students who have retirement funds and bills to worry about!

But that’s flash-forwarding to the future. How are you going to afford to pay your tuition NOW when you also have mortgage payments, child-care costs, and utilities to take care of? Adult students often face a bit of a problem when deciding if they should go back to school. If you remain employed and go to school part-time, you aren’t eligible for that much need-based aid since you still have a job. On the other hand, if you quit your job to go back to school-full time, you still might not qualify for aid for your first year since grants and scholarships are based on your past year’s income. So, what’s a non-traditional student to do?

Don’t let these conditions stop you from applying for financial aid! Once you receive an offer from your school’s financial aid office, you can always call and ask them to adjust your award if you plan on quitting your job. Searching for grants and scholarships outside your school is another good idea, and they have no application fees to boot! Check out FastWeb, which has no age restrictions on many of its awards. Essay contents tend to be open to anyone, and they’re an easy way to potentially get lots of money.

A few scholarships are also targeted towards adults. For instance, the Business and Professional Women’s Foundation gives scholarship money to women over 25 years-old who have a demonstrated financial need. Many colleges and universities also sponsor specific grants for adult learners, but most of these listings are available to students who reside in certain states or are pursuing a specific degree. Don’t be afraid to ask a financial aid officer for advice—these professionals are very helpful at pointing students in the right direction.

If you’re having trouble locating the ever-elusive free money, there are a couple of lenders who will help you finance your degree. For instance, the federal Stafford Loans(the government is the lender) will let you borrow as much as $6,625 as a freshman, $7,500 as a sophomore and $10,500 each subsequent year.

Even if you are a home-owner, have kids, and are employed full-time, it’s never too late to go back to school! There is definitely financial aid available for adult learners, so be sure to explore your options TODAY so you can earn your degree TOMORROW.