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Top 34 Scholarships for Adults in March 2023
Yea! Since you landed on this page, it looks like you are, or are thinking about, starting or returning to college. In retrospect, I wish I knew about scholarships for adults back when I started college as the mother of three school-age sons. This post was created to support all the brave adults who embrace lifelong learning!
If you are planning on attending a local college, university, or trade school, don’t forget to explore the scholarship opportunities offered at those institutions. If you don’t know where to start your search, stop in at your local library for assistance. Finally, in addition to applying for scholarships, make sure that you fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Good luck, fellow learners!
Jump ahead to…
- Top scholarships for adult learners
- How to win scholarships for adults
- Resources for adult learners
- Frequently asked questions
- Additional scholarship categories to explore
Top 33 Scholarships for Adults in March 2023
The Scholarships360 Research Team reviews all scholarships individually and strives to exclude any scholarship where any of the below applies:
- The scholarship requires a fee to apply
- The scholarship provider’s privacy policy allows for the misuse of student data
- The scholarship requires paid membership in an organization (with certain exceptions for reputable trade organizations and others)
- Student are required to sign up for a site or service to apply*
- The scholarship seems primarily used for lead generation** or idea harvesting purposes***
- The scholarship website has many grammatical errors and/or advertisements
- The scholarship or scholarship providing organization seem untrustworthy
- There is no evidence the scholarship was previously awarded
- The scholarship has not been awarded in the past 12 months
- There is no available contact information
If you believe a scholarship has been published in error, please reach out to [email protected] and we’ll take a look!
* There are certain exceptions to this, for example if the sponsoring organization is a major corporation or nonprofit with its own scholarship application system.
** Lead generation scholarships will require students to sign up for an app or website and require minimal (if any) application requirements.
***Idea harvesting scholarships will require students to submit blog posts or other materials that companies may use for marketing purposes.
$10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship
Scholarships360 Exclusive
The Scholarships360 $10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship is open to all students who want some extra help paying for their education. Whether you are a high school student who hopes to…
Show More$2,000 Nitro College Scholarship – No Essay
Sponsored
Easy scholarship from Nitro College open to all high school, college, community and graduate students.
$25,000 No Essay Scholarship
Sponsored
Easy scholarship from Niche open to high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in the next year.
ABA Diversity Scholarships
Offered by American Bus Association
Are you planning on working in the travel, transportation, or tourism sector and are part of a group that is underrepresented in the industry? If so, consider applying for the…
Show MoreMinority Teaching Fellows Program
Offered by College Pays Tennessee
Are you a minority student pursuing teacher certification to teach in Tennessee? If so, you may be interested in applying for the Minority Teaching Fellows Program! The program is open…
Show MoreMontessori Teacher Education Scholarships
Offered by American Montessori Society
The Montessori Teacher Education Scholarships are funded by the American Montessori Society, an organization that leads, empowers, and serves the global community of Montessori educators as the foremost advocate for…
Show MoreVoya Unsung Heroes Awards
Offered by Voya Financial
Are you an educator looking for funding for a class project? If so, consider applying for the Voya Unsung Heroes Awards! The program is open to full-time educators wanting to…
Show MoreE-waste Scholarship
Offered by Digital Responsibility
Are you a high school, college, or graduate student who has something to say about e-waste (any type of used electronics that are nearing the end of their useful life,…
Show MoreSociety of Hispanic Professional Engineers Scholarships
Offered by Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
Are you an incoming or current postsecondary student of Hispanic/Latino heritage who will be pursuing a STEM degree? If so, you may be eligible for some of the many SHPE…
Show MoreCatholic United Financial Post-High School Tuition Scholarship
Offered by Catholic United Financial
The Catholic United Financial Post-High School Tuition Scholarship is funded by Catholic United Financial, an organization that financially protects and connects members through faith and joyful service at every step…
Show More$25k “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship
Sponsored
Open to high school students, college students, community college students, and graduate students.
Charles W. Riley Firefighter and Ambulance and Rescue Squad Member Scholarship Program
Offered by Maryland Higher Education Commission
Are you an active career or volunteer firefighter, ambulance, or rescue squad member serving Maryland communities? If so, consider applying for the Charles W. Riley Firefighter and Ambulance and Rescue…
Show MoreProfessional Development Scholarship Emphasizing History, Number Theory, or Discrete Mathematics
Offered by National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Are you currently a math teacher of grades 6-12 and interested in a grant opportunity? If so, the Professional Development Scholarship Emphasizing History, Number Theory, or Discrete Mathematics may be…
Show MoreRotary Peace Fellowships
Offered by Rotary International
Are you a college graduate interested in studying abroad? If so, consider applying for Rotary Peace Fellowships! The fellowships are open to college (undergraduate and graduate school) graduates whose graduation…
Show MoreSTEM Teacher Scholarships
Offered by AFCEA & ManTech International
Are you an aspiring teacher pursuing a graduate degree to teach STEM to K-12 students? If so, consider applying for the STEM Teacher Scholarships! These scholarships are open to students…
Show MoreBoomer Benefits Scholarship
Offered by Boomer Benefits
Are you an adult student aged 50+ who has returned to school? You might consider applying for the Boomer Benefits Scholarship! This scholarship is open to all students aged 50+…
Show MoreSegal AmeriCorps Education Award
Offered by AmeriCorps
Are you a member of AmeriCorps, have finished your term service, and are looking for a scholarship opportunity? If so, you might be interested in the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award!…
Show MoreEntertainment Community Fund Professional Development Scholarship
Offered by Entertainment Community Fund
The Entertainment Community Fund Professional Development Scholarship is funded by the Entertainment Community Fund, an organization that fosters stability and resiliency, and provides a safety net for performing arts and…
Show More$10,000 CollegeXpress Scholarship
Sponsored
Annual $10k scholarship from CollegeXpress open to high school students in the class of 2024, 2026, and 2026.
Niche $2,000 “No Essay” College Scholarship
Sponsored
Easy scholarship from Niche open to all high school, college, and graduate students.
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How to win scholarships for adults
One of the best things you can do to boost your chances of winning scholarships is to write a knockout essay. Essays are the perfect place for you to describe what you’re passionate about, lay out your goals for the future, and win over your readers. Keep in mind that scholarship committees commonly read hundreds or even thousands of applications, so you’ll want to find a way to make your essay stand out from the crowd.
Fortunately, we have some great resources to help you! These include guides on how to write a winning essay, how to start and end an essay, and how to write an essay about yourself. If applicable, you can also check out our guides on how to write a 250 word essay and 500 word essay. The essay is one of the most important parts of the application process, so be sure to give it the necessary time and attention!
Also see: The ultimate guide to finding and winning scholarships
Resources for adult learners
The following resources are a solid place to start your higher education journey or help you navigate the next steps. In crafting this post, one could not help but notice all of the for-profit organizations out there. The following resources are credible and free, so make good use of them!
Adult Literacy League
This website, run by the Adult Literacy League located in Winter Park, Florida, lists a number of links to other credible free websites that feature quality learning resources for adult learners.
College for Adults
The College for Adults website (part of the National College Transition Network (NCTN)) offers advice and resources to adults who are going to college for the first time. This includes career planning, college selection, and the application process.
Related: Guide to financial aid for part-time students
U.S. Department of Education Contacts by State
This handy list of state resources that the U.S. Department of Education offers is invaluable. For example, if you live in NJ, there are phone numbers and official websites for the four main state education departments, including the State Adult Education Agency. Bookmark this website!
Also see: Scholarships for online students
Frequently asked questions about scholarships for adult learners
What about local scholarships?
When it comes to increasing your odds of winning scholarships, local is the way to go. The reason for this is obvious (less competition), but that doesn’t mean that you won’t have to put plenty of effort in. Finding local scholarships means you need to do more legwork since finding them might take more than a Google search. Click here for a quick guide on how to start searching and applying for local scholarships.
What is the best strategy for applying for scholarships for adults?
Our advice is simple: Apply to as many scholarships as you qualify for while keeping quality in mind. This means that while it is fine to apply for a few “easy to apply” for scholarships, your time will be better spent applying to scholarships that have more specific requirements. Show your maturity, and give the scholarship application process the time and effort it deserves!
Also see: Scholarships for nontraditional students
