Top Scholarships for Adults in 2021
Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.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!
Jump ahead to:
- Top Scholarships for Adult Learners
- Resources for Adult Learners
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Summary of Scholarships for Adults
- Upcoming scholarships for adults
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!
Top scholarships for adult learners
College Jumpstart Scholarship
- Eligibility: Applicants must submit an essay about why they are committed to earning a higher education degree
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: April 15 and October 17 of each year
Beacon Scholarship for Rural America
- Eligibility: Low-income college-bound graduating high school seniors, current college students, or adult learners residing in a rural areas are eligible to apply
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: November 30, 2021
Job-Applications.com Scholarship Programs
- Eligibility: parents who are full or part-time adult students enrolled in an accredited U.S. post-secondary educational institution. Both a national and an Ohio specific scholarship are offered
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: December 10, 2021
American Legion Non-Traditional Student Scholarship
- Eligibility: Members of the American Legion, Auxiliary, or Sons of The American Legion for the two preceding years preceding application. The scholarship if offered to applicants pursuing training in a certified, trade, professional, or technical program, or a two-year or four-year degree program
- Amount: $2,000
- Deadline: March 1 of every year
Cappex Adult Learners Scholarship
- Eligibility: Adults ages 25+ who are considering earning a bachelor’s degree
- Amount: $1,000
- Deadline: July 1, 2o22
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.
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!
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 reasons 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!
Summary of scholarships for adults
- College Jumpstart Scholarship
- Beacon Scholarship for Rural America
- Job-Applications.com Scholarship Programs
- American Legion Non-Traditional Student Scholarship
- Cappex Adult Learners Scholarship
Upcoming scholarships for adults
$1,000 “Mom to Scholar” Scholarship for Mothers
- Eligibility: Mothers over the age of 35 either accepted to or a attending technical, community, or four-year college/university
- Amount: $1,000
Association for Nontraditional Students in Higher Education Scholarship Program (ANTSHE)
- Eligibility: Non-traditional adult students that demonstrate need and achievement. Students must become members of ANTSHE, which costs $35.00. A variety of scholarships are offered
- Amount: Varies
Boomer Benefits Scholarship
- Eligibility: Adult students age 50+ who have returned to school to complete their degrees
- Amount: $2,000
