How Single Moms Can Find Financial Help to Reduce the Cost of Returning to School

SinglesMomSchoolGuestPost how single moms can find financial help

Every month many single moms think they will never be able to stretch their limited financial resources to meet the food, housing and transportation costs of their households. Though they are working hard and pinching every penny until it screams, a single income in the unskilled labor force does not pay enough to provide the basic necessities. Most of these moms dream of going back to school to get more training or even a degree in some lucrative field, but most hesitate when they find out just how high college tuition has risen in the past decade.

A lack of money does not have to put an end to dreams of a better life for these women. Scholarships are available for this particular group, and funding is not difficult to obtain. The following are some excellent sources currently offering cash for college to single moms:

Pell Grants from the Federal Government: The free money available from this source can be used for tuition, books and related college fees, but it gets even better. Pell Grant money may also be used for living or transportation expenses. Pell Grants of up to $5,500 a year can make college accessible for moms struggling to keep their heads above water financially. These scholarships can be accessed through the FAFSA website. Information about the Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants can also be found on this site.

Designated Scholarships: Many scholarship funds make single moms a priority when awarding money for college. The Jeanette Rankin Foundation Scholarship Program, for example, funds scholarships for single women. The Patsy Takemoto Mink Foundation also sponsors educational scholarships for single women and their children. Another excellent scholarship opportunity for which some single women may qualify is the R.O.S.E. scholarship; this acronym stands for “Regaining One’s Self-esteem.” These scholarships are given to those who have been victims of domestic violence.

Scholarships Funneled through Individual States: Single women should check with their own state educational services to see if there are awards offered for their demographic population. Most states have some money to fund needs based grants and scholarships. The following are just a few of the scholarships that have provided college money to single moms in the past with funding limited to a particular location:

• Ruth Lister Scholarship in Alaska

• The Bobbe Browning Memorial Scholarship in California

• The Coplan Donohue Single Parent Scholarship in Minnesota

• The Cap and Gown Book Scholarship in New Hampshire

• Sabrina Single Mothers Scholarship in New Mexico

• The Essary Family Single Parent Scholarship in Texas

• Brigham Young University’s Marriot School of Management Scholarship in Utah

Despite their lack of money, single moms should chase their dreams of a better life with determination and persistence. Scholarships and grants can help them to do this if they are willing to invest the time needed to find appropriate sources and fill out the applications for each one.

This guest post has been contributed by Jennifer Lewis. Jennifer writes for a site that helps moms find financial aid for returning to education, including college scholarships for young black women and psychology grants for women.

16 Comments

  1. Great information Donna. There are also colleges that offer a good education that are completely FREE to attend.

    1. I would love to finish a degree, but I don’t have the money. I wish I could find one online.

  2. So much great information here. Thank you!

  3. A college education is so important yet often the cost is prohibitive to so many people. Loving these tips!

  4. Love that they are doing this! Thanks for the info Donna!

  5. Thanks for sharing these resources to so many that need it.

  6. This is great information for moms looking to get a little more education.

  7. Great info! Good to know there are resources out there.

  8. It is great to know there are so many options for help out there.

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