My oldest went back to school in his 30s. He lost his job and as a displaced worker got a zero EFC which gave him PELL and subsidized loans. Moved back home while he went to school. Did not qualify state grants because NY state keeps a student a dependent until age 35. He used his savings to prepay us for his expenses so he was self sufficient that year.
It’s extremely difficult for a person just getting by to go back to school full time. Usually someone is helping out. Though our son did pay his expenses, we had the resources such as a house where he could live and use of whatever we had to help him get by while he was going to school. Most young people in his situation would have to work full time and go to school very part time, struggling to pay the tuition My son could have done it as he had enough saved to pay state college tuition, but it would have taken much longer to complete his degree requirements.