7 Great Scholarships for Single Moms
Updated: June 19, 2024
Published: January 16, 2017
You’ll do anything for your kids, even go back to school, but can’t afford tuition? Here are some scholarships for single moms. You don’t have to do this alone.
How many times has this happened to you? You wake up to a cold winter day, barely drag yourself out of the covers, and hurry up to get your child ready for daycare. You dress her in warm clothes, plus a warm sweater, plus a warm coat.
You insist she keeps her socks on even though she prefers to go barefoot. You make sure she eats before you leave the house. You have to be on top of everything, because you have only yourself to count on.And then, 5 minutes before you’re supposed to drop her off, when you’re finally in the car, you remember you forgot your own coat at home.
You’ll do anything for her – even walk in the cold without a coat, or go back to school despite the fact that everyone there is probably 15 years younger than you are. You’ll put in the hours and do the work, because you know that, if you do, you’ll be able to provide a better life for her.
But when you analyze your budget, the numbers don’t add up. How will you pay for college when you already have so many expenses? Thankfully, that’s one thing you don’t have to do alone.
Looking for Scholarships for Single Moms? Start Here
Here’s a small collection of the organizations out there that want to financially empower single moms in the United States to get an education, and create a better life for themselves and their kids (scholarship sums are in US dollars).
1. Hewlett Packard (HP) Scholarship and Mentorship for Women, in Partnership with the University of the People
Who they are: The University of the People is the first accredited, tuition-free, online university. The new Hewlett Packard Enterprise is an information technology and services company. It creates technology that helps their customers transform lives and industries, and make the world a better place.
What they offer: 100 two-year scholarships.
Scholarship eligibility: Must be a female student in one of the University of the People’s associate degree programs.
2. The Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation’s Scholarship for Moms
Who they are: Patsy Takemoto Mink was the first woman of color to be elected to the US House of Representatives. The foundation was created in 2003, a year after she died, to continue her efforts to provide a more equal educational access for low-income women, with a big focus on mothers.
What they offer: Five scholarships of up to $5,000 each.
Scholarship eligibility: Must be a mom, at least 17 years old, have minor kids, be enrolled in a not-for-profit accredited university, and have an annual household income lower than US$20-28,000, depending on how many family members you have.
3. Capture the Dream’s Scholarship for Single Moms and Dads
Who they are: Capture the Dream has been operating for over 10 years to help single parents, minority students and disadvantaged youth accomplish their dreams. Capture the Dream wants to make sure skyrocketing tuition costs don’t stand in the way of that happening. It supports the development of education and the arts, and creates programs to help people in need.
What they offer: The Single Parent Scholarship grants US$1,000 per recipient.
Scholarship eligibility: Must be a single parent living in the United States’ Bay Area, enrolled at a not-for-profit accredited institution, and have a low income household.
4. Emerge’s Scholarship for Single Moms and Other Women
Who they are: Since its foundation in 2001, Emerge has granted over $500,000 in academic scholarships to women. Its commitment to help women gain education comes from its belief in the powerful ripple effect this will have on society. The people behind Emerge know that when women are educated, their families get a better chance at education and making a difference in the world, too. Emerge strongly prioritizes women who not only give back to their families, but to their communities as well, to ensure that the ripple effect they create will have the biggest impact it can have.
What they offer: The amount of scholarships, and how much each awarded woman gets, changes from year to year. Expect a few scholarships to be granted, each one worth US$2,000-5,000.
Scholarship eligibility: Women who live in Georgia, United States, who give back to their communities, who are passionate about what they’re studying. You cannot be a recent high school graduate. Instead, you need to be a nontraditional student, like someone who’s going back to school as an adult, changing careers, looking to advance in their careers, or looking for education so you can go back to the workforce after being a stay at home mom.
5. Federal Student Aid’s Scholarship for Those who Need Financial Support Most
Who they are: Federal Student Aid is an office of the US department of education. Every year, it invests over $150 billion to make sure over 13 million students get higher education. It does that by providing anything from loans to scholarships.
What they offer: The Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) provides US$100-4,000 scholarships for undergraduate students who need financial help.
Scholarship eligibility: Eligibility is determined based on your financial situation, but first, you need to be a student at a higher education institution that participates in the FSEOG program. Check with your school’s financial aid office to see whether you can apply.
6. Jeannette Rankin Women’s Scholarship Fund
Who they are: In 1916, Jeannette Rankin became the first woman to be elected to the US congress. In her will, she dedicated part of her fortune to help mature women to get an education. Her friends and personal assistant created this fund to fulfill her wishes.
What they offer: While there’s no specification regarding how much each woman can receive, in the past 40 years, the organization has granted scholarships to over 900 women – an overall total of $2 million.
Scholarship eligibility: You must be a woman, 35 years old or older, a US citizen or permanent resident, and have a low annual income.
7. Free College Scholarships’ Scholarships 4 Moms
Who they are: Free College Scholarships is a private company that’s been granting $10,000 scholarships for over 10 years, for a total sum of more than $1,000,000. They fund these scholarships by selling ad space on their education-related websites.
What they offer: $10,000 scholarships are awarded several times a year.
Scholarship eligibility: Must be 18 years old or older, a resident of the United States, who signed up to the company’s site.
Need More Scholarships for Single Moms?
If you’re looking for additional scholarship opportunities, check out the Open Education Database’s great list of scholarships for single moms. You can access it by clicking here.
Scholarships for Single Moms are a Great Start, But are Not the Only Way to Make Your Higher Education Dream Come True
If you’re looking to go back to school, getting a scholarship can be a huge help. But if you’re having a challenging time getting a scholarship that will cover enough of your tuition to make it possible for you to get a degree, it might be worth considering other options.
Some online universities, for example, offer tuition-free degrees, that allow you to study from home, at your own pace, without making many compromises at work that a traditional university would require. You get to earn more and pay less for college.
But whichever way you choose, know that there are options for single moms and there is hope for your dreams.