Available College Scholarships for Single Parents

Having a decent college education is essential, especially if you are a single parent. The problem is you probably are finding it hard enough to make ends meet without having to pay for expensive tuition costs as well. The good news is that there are plenty of scholarships for single parents available if you need some extra help to get back to school. Many of these programs are available to people who aren’t single parents as well, so don’t let anything discourage you from applying. These programs may be found by contacting your local colleges or state governments. Federal Pell GrantThe Federal Pell Grant is one of the most popular scholarships for single parents available, and best of all most people who need help with college costs are eligible. In order to apply, all you need to do is fill out a FAFSA form; this can be done either over the Internet or through your school’s Financial Aid office. This is an excellent program because it can provide you with up to $4,000 or more a year. In order to determine if you qualify, they will look at your income and expenses to see if you really need the money. Raise the NationIf you are a mom who is in need of money to go back to school, then one of the best single parent scholarships available is Raise the Nation.  This is a particularly good scholarship that is provided to single moms and their children. If you have been denied funding, then you have a good chance of earning this one. There is a onetime application fee of $25 however. The Assistance LeagueThe Assistance League is a great place to turn to for scholarships for single parents and it is a great resource for finding other philanthropic programs as well. This organization deals primarily in community based programs that will help you pay your tuition. On their Web site they have a list of programs in each state. The Sunshine Lady Foundation, IncOne program that will be a great benefit for you if you qualify is the Women’s Independence Scholarship Program from The Sunshine Lady Foundation, Inc. This program is tailored specifically for women who have been victims of domestic abuse. Additionally, you must be an American citizen and you must already be enrolled in an accredited course of study. Women’s Opportunity AwardsTwo more single parent scholarships that you may be interested in are the Women’s Opportunity Awards from Soroptimist.org and The Jeannette Rankin Foundation. Both of these programs are for women only. Each of these two programs has its own requirements to determine eligibility, such as being of a low income family and even being a certain age, but if you qualify you can really make going to college much more affordable. These are just a few of the many scholarships for single parents available for those who are interested in furthering their education.