Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Planning for this year

How much should I borrow short-term?

Deciding how much to borrow should consider short-term and long-term finances and goals. First, look at your short-term finances: What are your expenses, and what are your sources of income?

To figure this out, use the budgeting tool below:

Is your income without loans enough to cover your tuition, books, and living expenses? If they are, then you might not need to borrow anything!

If your other income sources are not enough to cover your expenses, you might want to borrow a student loan to cover the rest.