Laptops are necessity gadgets in the society today, not only to students but to every individual out there. It’s unfortunate that this device is not affordable to everyone who needs it. Luckily, the government is considerate to these people. There are several non-profit organizations that collaborate with the government to offer free government internet and laptop to the needy. This includes the needy students. The frequently asked question is, does the student go directly to the government offices and ask for the laptop? No. This is not the case. There is always a procedure to follow when getting free laptop for college students from the government. Before going deep into the procedure, let’s first know who is eligible to get these free laptops.
Free Laptop For Eligible College Students From The Government
Free laptop for college students from the government sound like a very good deal to be true. The question that many people ask is, are these laptops really free? Our answer can be partially yes and partially no. Education in this century is based on high technology. As a result, the government saw it necessary to provide free laptop to needy college students to improve their studies. They give laptops directly to students through non-profit organizations or through financing them to purchase the laptop. However, different laptops have different policies. I mean, some laptops are totally free while others are given freely but with their charges hidden in the school fees. Let’s know who qualifies to get these laptops.
College Students That Are Eligible For Free Laptop From The Government
As seen, not every student that is eligible to get free laptops from the government. To qualify, you must;
- Prove that you are needy. For free laptops, the government considers only needy students. The student must prove that he or she is from a financially strained household. How? A minimum of one member of your household must be an active member of any government aid program. This is to show that your household is living below the federal poverty level. Alternatively, the student must have undergone any national disaster, like hurricane.
- Be an enrolled student. To benefit with a free laptop from the government, you must prove that you are registered under any study program. You should be enrolled on any private or government registered institution. More often than not, some programs have a condition to consider only public government registered students.
Below is full guideline or procedure of acquiring free laptop from the government as a student.
Procedure To Acquire Free Laptop From The Government As A College Student
As stated earlier, the government provides free laptop to eligible college students through some non-profit organizations. Below is the procedure.
- Fill the application form. The first procedure is filling an application form. In the form, you should indicate your correct name and the name of the institution that you are enrolled to as a student.
- Get your form certified. Once you fill the form, present it to your institution officials to certify with the institution’s official stamp.
- Present the forms to the responsible government department. The department will then prove your eligibility and link you to one of the organization that will deliver the laptop to you.
Note that every government organization has its own conditions and rules to follow when providing free laptops. Let’s go through some of the organizations that provide free laptops to college students.
How To Get Free Laptop For College Students From The Government
1. From Your Local Department Of Human Services
The government provides free laptops to eligible college students through their local department of human services. Are you a financial strained college student in the United States of America who needs a laptop but can’t afford it? Then visit this department. Through the department, you are required to fill an application form including all your personal details and the name of the school or college that you are enrolled in. After the application, the department should check your eligibility and deliver the laptop to you.
2. From Your Institution Of Study
Through help from the government, some colleges, especially public government colleges, provide free laptops to their students. The school provides these laptops to use during your tuition. However, after graduation, some colleges allow the students to leave with the laptops while others take it back.
3. From CFY.ORG
CYF. ORG is a national and non- profit organization that gives out free laptops to eligible college students. Their purpose is to help the needy students with laptops for equality with those who can afford it. Their second main objective is to improve the educational results of these students. Additionally, this organization provides cheap and affordable plans to use along with these laptops. To get a free laptop from this organization, you are required to fill an application form, stating reasons that you need a laptop. You then get the laptop once your eligibility is proved.
4. From ON IT Foundation.
On it foundation is another program that provides free laptops to eligible college students. Rather than free laptops, the program also provides training and internet plans to use along with this laptop. Similar to CYF.ORG, the applicant is required to fill an application form with your correct personal details. One of their major requirements is that you should be a resident of the United States and be enrolled in a public institution. Visit their website for more information.
5. From With Causes Charitable Organization.
With causes is another non-profitable organization that provides free laptops to college students. It offers old refurbished laptops but in good working condition. With causes provides free laptops not only to needy students, but also to families living in poverty.
Laptops are necessary devices during learning, especially higher learning. What happens to students who need laptops but do not qualify to get free laptops from the government? Rather than the government, there are other several ways that college students can use to get free laptops. Note that through these ways, the laptop can be totally free or discounted. Below are other ways that college students can use to get free laptops. We have analyzed them for you.
Other Ways College Students Can Get Free Laptops
1. From Freecycle
Do you really need a laptop but not eligible to acquire it from the government? Then worry not. Freecycle is a famous website with generous people that wish to donate free items to people who need them. Through the website, you can also make a request to get any item that you need most. That means you can request a free laptop and get a well-wisher to donate it to you. Try your luck!
2. From Notebooks For Students
Notebooks for students is another great program that donates free laptops to college students. From this program, the laptop is either free or discounted at a cheaper and affordable price. Former college students noted that there was huge shortage and great need of a laptop during learning. As a result, they formed this program to increase the availability of laptops to students. They also provide the best and affordable laptop payment plan for students who wish to purchase the discounted laptops in installments.
3. From Your Local Library
You need a free laptop to use? Then visit your local library. Libraries work differently. I mean, some provide free laptops to use the moment you are in the library only.
Others provide them for a longer duration. They allow the student to leave with the laptop and bring it later after a specified duration of time. Luckily, others are generous enough to offer financial grants to needy college students to purchase their own laptops.
4. Free Laptops From Online Colleges
There are several online colleges that provide laptops for free to their students. More often than not, these colleges include the cost of these laptops in the students’ school fees. In online colleges, laptop is a top necessity. This is because the student will need it to access the ongoing classes. For instance;
- Independence Online University : This is one of the best online colleges in the United States of America. Independence University provides free laptops to their students to use during their studies. Before graduation, the laptop belongs to the school. However, after graduation, the school transfers ownership to the student allowing him or her to leave with the laptop.
- B. St John’s University : This is a catholic university in America that offers both physical and online classes. They offer free laptops to remote students to help them access their online classes.
There are other several online colleges with free laptops like Liberty online college and Stevens-Henager college among others.
5. Free Laptops From Apple
It is no doubt that Apple has the best laptops in the market. They also have the best tablets for college students. Apple partners with some schools to provide free laptops to college students. More often, apple recognizes both creative and academic outstanding abilities of a student, rewarding them with free laptops to use in their studies or innovative activities. They also have special and reduced prices on their laptops, making it affordable to students who wish to purchase them. MacBook is also known to have the best laptop for nursing students in the market.
Alternative Way To Get A Free Laptop
There are some online courses that provide free laptops to students. Some courses like social events, athletic programs, performing art programs, emergency service management, music, and information technology are among the courses that require a student to have a laptop. As a result, the respective college ensures that the student gets a free laptop to access the ongoing classes.
Colleges That Offer Free Laptops
Below is a brief list of colleges that offer free laptops to their students.
- Northwest Missouri state University.
- Saint Mary’s Minnesota University.
- Southern Nazarene University.
- Southern New Hampshire University.
- Western Kentucky University.
- Rochester University.
- Bethel Christian University.
There are countless ways of getting free laptops for college students. On this page, we have named and explained some of these ways. Some of them provide free laptops and plans to use along with the laptop. If you are in need of a free laptop, then try out one of these ways.