I think we can agree that going back to college presents a catch-22 for single mothers.
On the one hand, getting a diploma or certification can be the ticket to earning more money and bringing stability to your family. On the other hand, college is expensive and as a single parent with an income, you are already to the max.
This is why the demand for grants and scholarships is so important.
If you are returning to college, you must first complete a FASFA form. After that, consider applying for these 2020 Single Mothers Scholarships to get the extra funding you need.
Patsy Mink Foundation
The Patsy Mink Foundation regularly awards up to $ 5,000 bursaries to women each year.
The eligibility conditions are as follows:
Must be a woman, at least 17 years old, with a minor Children
Must pursue a first diploma in one of the following - professional training, certification, associate's diploma, bachelor's degree, master's degree
Must be registered with a non-profit institution
Should be considered low income
The application process will start in early spring 2020. Here you can find application instructions.
Bethel Foundation Grace Grant
The Bethel Grace scholarship is awarded 3 times a year, depending on funding. Scholarship amounts can reach $ 1,500 for full-time students and up to $ 750 for part-time students. The money can be used for tuition or books.
To apply, you must meet the following requirements:
American resident
High school diploma or recipient of a GED diploma
Single and head of household with at least one minor child
Follow a career-oriented curriculum
Low income
Pell Grant recipient
The application deadlines are March, June and October 15. th every year. You can see the app here.
Soroptimist Live Your Dream Award
Each year, Soroptimist grants up to $ 2 million in financial rewards to female heads of household continuing their studies.
They have three price levels ranging from $ 1,000 - $ 16,000. And prices go to around 1,450 women per year.
To apply, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:
Provide primary financial support for your dependents
Financial needs
Has been accepted or enrolled in an undergraduate program or professional skills program
Lives in a qualification area
Never Received a Soroptimist Dream Award
The application period runs from August 1 st to November 15 th each year. You can read other eligibility conditions and application instructions here.
Jeanette Rankin Scholarship Fund for Women
Jennette Rankin was the first woman in Congress and a huge promoter of women's rights. The Jeanette Classification Scholarship was created in 1978 to help low-income women continue their education. Since then, more than 2.75 million dollars' worth of scholarships have been awarded.
If you wish to apply for the Jeanette Rankin scholarship, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:
Woman 35 or older
Low income (I have included a photo of the income guidelines above)
Listed in accepted to accredited, not for profit institution
Going for the first time to a bachelor's degree, or an associate degree
Applications are accepted (approximately) from November to March each year. You can get more information on how to apply here.
American Association of University Women
The American Association of University Women awards several million dollar scholarship awards to women and girls each year. They have different scholarship and reward programs, allotting different amounts of money.
Here are some programs you can apply for:
American scholarships
Career development grants
International scholarships
Application dates generally start on August 1. st to December 1 st . You can check out specific AAUW opportunities here.
Rosenfield Single Mothers' Grant
Rosenfield business lawyers award two bursaries to a single mother each year. A scholarship goes to a single mother enrolled in an undergraduate program or community college. The other scholarship goes to a single mother enrolled in an accredited law school.
The two scholarships are $ 1,000.
Here are the eligibility conditions:
Enrolled in an accredited American university, college, or high school
Must maintain an average of 3.0
Must be a mother at school
Applications must be received before December 5. th . You can find more information here.
Emerge scholarships (Georgia)
Emerge awards scholarships to low-income women, residents of Georgia and adhere to other guidelines.
Here are the basic eligibility conditions:
Must be a resident of Georgia
At least 25 years old
Must be registered with an accredited institution in the region which is non-profit
Must meet eligibility criteria
The application process opens in November. You can see more instructions here.
Beatrice F. Kroesche Memorial Scholarship (University of Utah)
The Beatrice F. Kroesche Memorial Scholarship is available to single mothers enrolled at the University of Utah who participate in one of the following programs:
College of education
College of Humanities
The English Department
David Eccles Business School
College of engineers
You can get more information here.
Ford Family Foundation (residents of Oregon or Siskiyou County, California)
The Ford Scholarship is a needs-based scholarship that awards up to 90% of unmet financial obligations, up to a maximum of $ 25,000 per year.
Here are the eligibility conditions:
Must demonstrate financial need
Be a resident of Oregon or Siskiyou County in California
Do not have criminal convictions
Be a single parent with full custody of at least one minor child
Looking for an associate's degree or bachelor's degree
Maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher
Attend full time, on campus, eligible establishment
The registration deadline is March 1 st of each year. You can find more information here.
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Scholarship Fund for Single Parents (Arkansas or Bowie County, Texas)
The Single Parent Scholarship Fund was created in 1984 to help remove barriers to low income single parent families in Arkansas.
They have awarded more than $ 1.5 million in scholarships.
If you want to apply the eligibility the requirements are as follows:
Single, custodial parent of a dependent child
Got a high school diploma or GED
Not have already obtained a baccalaureate
Have a weighted average of 2.0 or more
Household income does not exceed 250% of that of the federal government poverty guidelines
Have completed the FASFA
Attending (or will be) an accredited school
The deadlines vary depending on the term for which you are applying. You can see more information about the app here.
Kentucky Colonel's Scholarship for a Better Life (Kentucky - SKCTC)
Kentucky colonels award bursaries to single parents with children 12 and under. They have allocated over a million dollars in scholarships.
Here are the eligibility conditions:
Attend Southeast Kentucky University Community and Technicians
Full-time student pursuing an associate's degree
A parent with a child 12 years of age or younger
Financial need not met by other sources
The deadline is August 7 th each year. The amount of the grant is $ 2,500. You can see other application instructions here.
Help for single mothers (Dallas and Phoenix)
The Helping Hands Scholarships for Single Mothers are intended to help low-income single mothers pay for college education.
This scholarship really helps beyond university and covers the following:
Scholarship of $ 270 per month
AAA towing
Assistance with automatic repairs
Technical assistance
Haircuts
And more…
Eligibility conditions are different for Dallas and Phoenix. Click here for Dallas requirements. Click here for Phoenix requirements.
Scholarships for single mothers by 2020 and beyond…
Your first step to cover college costs should be to complete the FASFA form. After that, taking the time to apply for one of the scholarships to which you are entitled can really pay off.