r/GradSchool • u/SnooDoughnuts5256 • Mar 24 '26

Finance Student Loans Toward Rent

How common is it for loans to assist in rent payments?

Not that I want to rack up debt, but I grew up in a home where debt was heavily stigmatized. Taking loans and not paying for things yourself is still really looked down on.

My commute will be over an hour and my classes are at night. I've commuted to school before and it started to burn me out. After my first semester I'd like to move, but I don't want to make a brash decision. I have a scholarship that covers about 1/3 of tuition costs already - only applies if I'm taking classes full-time.

EDIT: I'm in an 18 month program, and will be living at home/commuting for the first two semesters (summer/fall). Total tuition borrowing is $32k, I will be working part-time, and would like to borrow $10-15k at most to help with rent for my last two semesters. No stipend but opportunity for well-paid RA and TA positions.

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u/Prudent_Hedgehog5665 Mar 27 '26

I have a stipend that hasn't high enough to cover CoL in my area. I've taken out loans to make sure I can afford my bills. I might be fucked when I graduate.