Without a doubt, the TOP concern of those considering a massage education is – how will I pay for my massage education?

I can appreciate the concern.  When I went through the program back in 2005, we took the tuition out of a 401K to pay for tuition, books, supplies and my massage table.  Over the course of 3 years, the money was paid back by payroll deduction and with interest, it was as if the money hadn’t been touched at all.

Many people I interview don’t have a 401K, so again, I understand the concern when people question “how will I pay for my massage education?”

Bodymechanics Philosophy…

Many people are searching for financial aid to fund their schooling – and obviously, Bodymechanics School is not a federally accredited school.  For me, this is a decision I made years ago when I took over the school and it’s not one that I see myself changing any time soon.  There are 2 primary reasons that we aren’t federally accredited:

1. Quality of our education
   1. Because we are an advanced training program, our class size is limited to just 16 students.  Many schools who are accredited get into a vicious cycle – add staff to deal with the requirements which requires more students to cover the payroll and keep margins profitable for owners.
   2. Bodymechanics is not willing to compromise the quality of education – period.  Class size is by design so that students excel in advanced theory.  More students = more basic education to ensure students grasp advanced theory.
   3. Better understanding keeps us at our current 99% success rate on national exams upon graduation.
2. Overhead
   1. See above.  If I add more students, the overhead raises and I need to hire more staff – which means I need more students.
   2. School space is designed for a more intimate educational setting.  More students = larger school, which again means more students to cover the expenses.

Frankly, I refuse to put financial needs ahead of quality education. <— This is a promise to you.

How to pay for your massage education – the down and dirty

There are several options for you to consider.  First though – go back and read my promise to you.   I promise a quality education so that  you have the confidence to earn a solid wage after graduation helping people feel better.

That said, here are some options to pay for your massage education:

• Consider talking with your bank and pulling a personal loan.  Because we are not a federally accredited school, you need to ask for a personal loan (not a student loan.)  I have had students who received full loans for the tuition.  I’ve seen students get a portion of the tuition from their bank, and we’ve made a payment plan on the rest of the tuition.
• Check into options if you do have a retirement program – such as a 401K.
• I offer in-house payment plans for those who are able to make payments.  There are plans posted on the school site.  Beyond that, I have made arrangements for others that work for both of us.  If you don’t ask, you’ll never know…
• Ask your  family if they can help cover tuition.  Again, if you don’t ask, you’ll never know.  Maybe they can help with a portion of the payments, and you cover the rest.
• Those with the GI Bill option are able to use their education benefit to come to Bodymechanics School as we are an approved facility.
• Unemployment benefits often offer education benefits.  Check with your local WorkSource office to see if it will cover massage school.
• Displaced worker programs will typically cover retraining for declining industry job losses.  Just this week, locally the Simpson Lumber Company announced it was shutting down.  Many of those employees might be eligible for retraining.
• Search for grants and scholarships on line.

Apply to Bodymechanics School

The application process is simple – and it is during this process together we research different options for payment and see what we can make work.  You can pay for your massage education with creativity and determination – but you need to start the process.  Click here to read more of our requirements.

• The fist step is to complete the interview questionnaire and bring it with you to your no-hassle interview with me personally.
• During the interview, we discuss the program, your hopes and goals and how we can fill that need for you.
• A tour of our unique facility is a must as well as meeting our staff who are hanging out.
• After this, we encourage you to go home and discuss the school with your family, and then complete the application and submit with your $100 application fee.
• From there, we meet to complete the contract and you prepare for school

I hope this has answered some questions for you regarding how to pay for your massage education.  I am always open to discussion and have helped many figure out the finance part of massage school.

I look forward to meeting you and discussing your individual needs.

Committed to your success ~
Shari Aldrich, LMP
President / Clinical Director