Can homeless people get student loans?

It may depend on their credit rating.
When I got a federally insured student loan, it was for schooling only and the school received it all. After I had been out of school for six months I had to start paying it back.
There was another grant I got after applying and qualifying that paid me directly, but only to supplement my income. The first year I got about $60 a month, the last six months about $110 a month. (Didn’t have to pay that back.)

I don’t know the answer, but it seems like for a student loan in America it shouldn’t matter. When high school students apply they usually have no credit history, they don’t rent, they don’t own a home, they often don’t own a car. It’s basically unsecured credit like a credit card. I’ll be interested to see what other jellies say, maybe someone will have a link for it.

Yes. I’ve had numerous students over the years who were homeless but took out student loans to cover tuition, fees, and housing for two to four years. The idea being that upon graduation, they’d be in a better position to get a decent paying job, a place to live on their own (even just a room), and start paying back their student loans.

It worked out that way for about half of them. The other half dropped out of school as they couldn’t cut it academically and likely defaulted on what student loans they had. I assume they ended up back in the street.

The saddest case I saw involved a woman who did the above, earned her associates degree, and landed a decent job. Two weeks into the job she quit and voluntarily went back on the street. She said she couldn’t handle any more responsibility and expectations after two years of it in school. About a year later, my wife saw her again, in an alley, set up next to a dumpster.

There are funding available to low income people of which it does not have to be paid back. Usually up to one or two years only. They are expected to obtain a job through these programs..not sure if they still have them. Used to be called CJS ( Canadian Job Strategy Program.
Different governments have newer programs to get people working again from apprenticeship programs to upgrading schooling ( computer training) for those that need it to get ahead.
Liberal Government in Canada is supposed to bring out an apprenticeship program like the Netherlands has for students coming out of High School.

Do you know anyone who used a student loan and an university as a homeless shelter?

That’s sort of putting the cart before the horse. They don’t “use it as a shelter”... they pursue education or training and obtain loans or other funding to cover their shelter needs for the duration.

Public universities have many programs to assist students. In return, the student is expected to make progress towards completion and to maintain a basic academic standard, usually a 2.0 or higher.

Seems like a really irresponsible thing to do.

@Dutchess_lll Yes.