If you are a single mother, chances are that life is rather hectic and hurried for you. With looking after children, earning enough to support your family, running errands and doing household work, there is not much time or strength left for you to devote to attending college and furthering your educational qualification. However, it goes without saying that having at least a bachelor’s degree will help you immensely in landing a better job, giving you and your family a better quality of life. If you do want to study more but are at a loss when it comes to finding means to fund your education, you should turn to scholarships for single mothers. Here are some of the grants you can apply for and hope to receive.
Almost every major university has a Women’s Club, which is responsible for extending scholarships to female students. As a single mom, you are eligible to receive aid in the form of a women’s non-traditional scholarship. The best way to find out more is to contact a university near you and ask for details. There are a number of such scholarships granted every year, and you should apply in time to maximize your chances of being awarded the grant.
Single mothers going back to school will also be interested in very specific Scholarship Grants that apply to them. For example, there is the Linda Lael Miller Scholarship for Women which aims to help women to pursue their goals of improving their lot in life through education. Meant for women over 25 years of age, this scholarship is specifically for women who have previously met with obstacles in trying to get a higher education. The ROSE Scholarship fund for women helps fund the education of single moms who have been victims of spousal abuse; this scholarship is only available when funds are sufficient, though.
As a single mother, you are also definitely eligible for all scholarships that are meant for women, and there are many such scholarships available in every part of the country. The Newcombe Foundation, for example, funds the college education of women who are more than 25 years of age. The selections are made by the colleges which receive the funds, and you should certainly see if a college near you is part of the Newcombe Foundation programme.
Finally, no matter which scholarships for single mothers you apply for, make sure you read the conditions well. You will, most likely, be required to keep your GPA above a certain minimum limit, and it may be that the scholarship has to be applied for every academic year. Be sure to have all doubts clarified before you decide to apply for the grant.
(Article written by Alison Russell for US Index Live)