Can I get 2 different types of financial aid for 2 different schools?

[JENNIFER L]

I'm getting ready to start classes online to earn my medical coding certificate, it's from an out of state school and I'm getting a full PELL grant to cover all costs. Since I will be half way through the coding program by fall I would like to start classes for my paralegal degree at a local university for which I will be getting a student loan. My question is can I have a PELL grant at one school and a student loan at another school? I want to do both at once because I'm looking at a possible divorce and if so I want to be able to stand on my own to feet and provide myself and my 3 children. Is it possible to have 2 different types of financial aid for 2 different schools? Thanks.
to srs2teac, I will have money left over after my aid covers my tuition and fees for the medical coding program because that school gives you full aid, are you saying I can use my part of my aid to cover tuition at the other school?

[srs2teach]

No you cannot. You can only receive Federalf Student aid at the school you are degree seeking at. All federal aid is reported through one central place, and while both schools may award you aid, once they both report aid for you, you risk having your aid taken from you at both schools and you owing the full cost of tuition and fees at both schools. Talk to the financial aid office at the school you are degree seeking at and ask them if they will do what is called a consorsium for you with the other school. This is a method of working the cost from the other school into your budget at your primary school. If they will not do a consorsium, then ask them to give you your max aid at your degree seeking school, and you can use any refund money to help pay for the cost at the other school.

[Found-1]

You can not receive financial aid from two different schools during the same semester. It doesn't matter if they are two different TYPES of financial aid. If both the cert program and the paralegal program both consider you enrolled in the same semesters then you have a problem.

I would suggest that if your goal is to be a paralegal, you should forget the medical coding certificate since it won't count towards anything.... and do nothing but take your financial award away from your real goal.