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Top 37 Scholarships for Nontraditional Students in February 2023
According to research from the Center for Postsecondary and Economic Success, 40% of the current undergraduate students at US colleges and universities are nontraditional. These students do not fit into the 18 to 24 year old demographic of people who go to college directly after high school. Luckily, there are a number of scholarships for nontraditional students available!
Jump ahead to:
- How to win scholarships for nontraditional students
- Resources for nontraditional students
- Tips for nontraditional students
- Frequently asked questions
- Other scholarship categories to explore
Many nontraditional students are working and are trying to juggle both school and a job. For information on eligibility, the award amount, and application links, for all of the scholarships for nontraditional students keep reading!
The Scholarships360 Research Team reviews all scholarships individually and strives to exclude any scholarship where any of the below applies: 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.
Scholarships360 Exclusive Easy scholarship open to all US-based high school, college, community college and graduate students.
Sponsored Easy scholarship open to all high school, college, community and graduate students. Sponsored Open to high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in the next year. Offered by Jeannette Rankin Foundation Open to women aged 35 and up who are pursuing a technical/vocational, associate's, or bachelor's degree. Offered by The Ford Family Foundation Open to adult learners in Oregon and Siskiyou County, California who are over the age of 25 and hoping to pursue higher education. Offered by College Pays Tennessee Open to postsecondary students of color in Tennessee who are pursuing teacher certification to teach in Tennessee. Offered by Voya Financial Full-time educators, teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, and other staff working to improve student learning in the U.S. Offered by Digital Responsibility Open to students who answer a prompt expressing their opinion on e-waste. Offered by Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Open to SHPE members who are current or incoming postsecondary students pursuing a degree in STEM. Offered by Maryland Higher Education Commission Open to active firefighters (including volunteers), ambulance, or rescue squad members who are seeking a fire-service-related degree. Sponsored Easy scholarship open to high school students, college students, community college students, and graduate students. Offered by National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Open to mathematics teachers who have taught for at least three years and plan to continue teaching. Offered by Rotary International Postsecondary graduates who are interested in going abroad to become "catalysts for peace" and to partake in "global networking." Offered by AFCEA & ManTech International Open to aspiring teachers seeking a graduate degree for the purpose of teaching STEM subjects to K-12 students in the U.S. Offered by Digital Responsibility Open to students who write a 140-character blurb about the dangers of texting while driving. Offered by GetEducated.com Open to US citizens enrolled in accredited online degree programs in the USA. Offered by AmeriCorps Open to AmeriCorps members after successfully completing their AmeriCorps term of service to pursue post-secondary education. Offered by Helping Hands for Single Moms Open to single moms from the Phoenix area who are attending college and are willing to participate in Single Mom College Community meetings. Sponsored Annual $10k scholarship from CollegeXpress open to all high school students. Sponsored Easy scholarship from Niche open to all high school, college, and graduate students.Top 37 Scholarships for Nontraditional Students in February 2023
** 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
$2,000 Nitro College Scholarship – No Essay
$25,000 No Essay Scholarship
Jeannette Rankin Foundation National Scholar Grant
Ford Opportunity Program
Minority Teaching Fellows Program
Voya Unsung Heroes Awards
E-waste Scholarship
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Scholarships
Charles W. Riley Firefighter and Ambulance and Rescue Squad Member Scholarship Program
$25k “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship
Professional Development Scholarship Emphasizing History, Number Theory, or Discrete Mathematics
Rotary Peace Fellowships
STEM Teacher Scholarships
Don’t Text and Drive Scholarship
Get Educated Online College Scholarship Program
Segal AmeriCorps Education Award
Helping Hands for Single Moms – Phoenix Scholarship
$10,000 CollegeXpress Scholarship
Niche $2,000 “No Essay” College Scholarship
How to win scholarships for nontraditional students
As a nontraditional student, your path to higher education probably looks different than the paths of younger students. You may have had to put college on hold due to family commitments, work obligations, or unforeseen circumstances. That’s okay! Your “nontraditional” journey is part of what makes you unique and sets you apart from other applicants.
Scholarship committees oftentimes read thousands of applications, so don’t be afraid to be different! Just remember to frame your story in a positive and productive manner, emphasizing what you’ve learned from your past, why you’re pursuing education, and what you aim to accomplish with your degree.
If you need help with your scholarship essay, you’re in luck! We have a variety of guides for writing strong scholarship essays and applications. That includes writing 250 word essays, 500 word essays, writing essays about yourself, or starting or finishing your essays. We also have a guide on how to write a winning scholarship essay.
Resources for nontraditional students
If you’re attending school later in life, you shouldn’t feel alone on your journey! There are many resources and organizations dedicated to supporting nontraditional students on their path to higher education. Here are a couple that are worth checking out:
Adult Student College Prep Checklist
Created by the U.S. Department of Education, this handy checklist is meant to support students who have never been to college (or started but never finished). If you need advice on things like career direction, picking a school, and securing financial aid, this is a great place to start!
College for Adults
College for Adults is an excellent resource for adults who are attending college for the first time. Here you’ll find tips on career planning, college selection, the application process, financial aid, and how to prepare for college-level courses.
Tips for nontraditional students
Returning to school (or going for the first time) as an adult can feel daunting, but we’re here to help! Here are some tips to help you succeed as a nontraditional student:
Find a program that works for you
As a nontraditional student, you may have other responsibilities to juggle such as family obligations and work commitments. That’s why it’s important to find a program that accommodates your schedule and lifestyle. Hybrid and online programs are both great for learners managing a busy schedule. There are also schools that offer open-entry and early-exit courses, which allow students to complete lessons at their own pace.
Tap into your support network
One of the best things you can do as a student is to take advantage of the resources and services available at your school. These include your teachers/professors, the financial aid office, tutoring and mentoring services, counseling/health services, career services, and even child care services. Be sure to learn about how your school can support you, and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it!
Don’t forget about local scholarships
During your scholarship search, be sure to keep an eye out for awards offered in your local community and home state. There’s less competition for these scholarships, which means you’re more likely to win! To get started, check out our guide on how to win local scholarships!
Frequently asked questions about scholarships for adult learners:
Can nontraditional students get scholarships?
Yes! There are a number of scholarships for nontraditional students, many of which are in this post! We also recommend that nontraditional students and adult learners complete the Free Application For Federal Student Aid so that they can qualify for need-based financial aid. You can also try out our free scholarship search tool, which custom-matches you to vetted scholarship opportunities.
See also: Top College Scholarships for Adult Learners
Will I qualify for scholarships and financial aid if I am a part-time student?
It depends on the scholarship and on the specific college or university. Different scholarship organizations and colleges will have different requirements about the number of credit hours that you need to qualify for scholarships. You should also know that some scholarships and financial aid programs also have an academic requirement that says you must maintain a specific GPA to remain eligible.
Related: Guide to financial aid for part-time students
If I am a nontraditional student, will I need to submit SAT or ACT scores?
Some colleges will require all students to submit the SAT or ACT. However, there are a growing number of colleges that are test-optional and do not require any sort of testing for students. Some graduate programs, such as MBA programs, may also waive testing requirements for students with a certain amount of relevant work experience.
Also see: Advice for low test takers
