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Top 18 Scholarships for Moms and Single Moms in January 2023
According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, the number of single mothers in college more than doubled between 1999 and 2012. Between the costs of child care and time caring for their children, single moms face unique obstacles to getting their college degree. Luckily, there are a number of scholarships for single moms and moms in general to pay for college.
Jump ahead to:
- Top scholarships for single moms and moms in 2022
- How to win scholarships for moms and single moms
- Other ways to save
- Frequently asked questions
- Explore these other scholarship categories:
These scholarships for single mothers include awards that support students who are attending both two year and four year institutions. These types of scholarships are so important because they will transform the lives of moms and their children.
Moms and single moms may also be eligible for more general scholarships for women, so you can check out those opportunities too!
Top 18 Scholarships for Moms and Single Moms in January 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
Easy scholarship open to all US-based high school, college, community college and graduate students.
$2,000 Nitro College Scholarship – No Essay
Sponsored
Easy scholarship open to all high school, college, community and graduate students.
$25,000 No Essay Scholarship
Sponsored
Open to high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in the next year.
“Making Waves” Scholarship for Women
Scholarships360 Exclusive
Women currently attending high school, college, technical/vocational, or graduate school are eligible to apply.
“Follow Your Own Path” Essay Scholarship
Scholarships360 Exclusive
Open to all postsecondary students, regardless of the type of training/education they are pursuing.
“Outstanding Undergraduate” Essay Scholarship
Scholarships360 Exclusive
Open to current undergraduates at four-year universities in the U.S.
“Mom to Scholar” Scholarship for Mothers
Scholarships360 Exclusive
Open to mothers over the age of 35 either accepted to or a attending technical, community, or four-year college/university.
Women In Transition Scholarship
Offered by Educational Foundation for Women in Accounting
Open to incoming female college freshmen who are the primary source of support for their families and are pursuing a degree in Accounting.
Single Parent Scholarships
Offered by Custody X Change Giving Fund
Single parents who have primary physical custody of one or more minor children enrolled full or part-time as undergraduate students.
Helping Hands for Single Moms – Phoenix Scholarship
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.
$25k “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship
Sponsored
Easy scholarship open to high school students, college students, community college students, and graduate students.
Helping Hands for Single Moms – Dallas Scholarship
Offered by Helping Hands for Single Moms
Open to single moms from the DFW area who are attending college and are willing to participate in Single Mom College Community meetings.
Job-Applications.com Working Parent College Scholarship Award
Offered by job-applications.com
Working parents who are enrolled in an accredited U.S. postsecondary educational institution.
This scholarship might not currently be accepting applications. Most scholarship programs only accept applications a few months ahead of their annual deadline. We’ve estimated this deadline based on last year’s deadline in order to help you plan out your scholarship applications.
Dec 9, 2023Live Your Dream Award
Offered by Soroptimist
Open to female college students who provide the primary financial support for herself and her dependents.
This scholarship might not currently be accepting applications. Most scholarship programs only accept applications a few months ahead of their annual deadline. We’ve estimated this deadline based on last year’s deadline in order to help you plan out your scholarship applications.
Nov 15, 2023$10,000 CollegeXpress Scholarship
Sponsored
Annual $10k scholarship from CollegeXpress open to all high school students.
Niche $2,000 “No Essay” College Scholarship
Sponsored
Easy scholarship from Niche open to all high school, college, and graduate students.
How to win scholarships for moms and single moms
Just as with any scholarship, scholarships for moms and single moms receive a lot of applications. They can only choose the most compelling applications to award their money to, so it’s important to stand out in yours. One great way to do this is to research the organization and read the scholarship carefully to figure out what values they are looking for in a candidate.
Once you have this figured out, try to emphasize these values in your essays and application materials. In order to craft an effective essay, we recommend checking out some of our guides, like how to write a winning scholarship essay, how to write an essay about yourself, and how to tailor your writing to 250 or 500 word limits. We can also walk you through some common scholarship essay prompts and help you write a scholarship resume.
Finally, don’t forget to apply to local scholarships! Local scholarships typically receive far less applications than nationwide or international ones. This means that each applicant has a better chance of winning. Look for some local community organizations, whether it is a church or community college or community center, and see if there are any opportunities offered.
Other ways to save
Scholarships aren’t the only way for women returning to school to save as they further their education! There are many other ways you can help pay for qualifications to advance your career. Here are a few other things to consider, including college alternatives:
Tuition reimbursement
An increasing number of employers offer tuition reimbursement. Some of the best-known tuition reimbursement programs in the country are at Starbucks, Chipotle, and Amazon. Try asking your HR department to see whether this is a benefit your employer offers.
Certificate programs
Certificate programs require significantly less time and money than a regular college education. They are typically more flexible time-wise as well. All of these make for a perfect solution for moms returning to school! There are a wide variety of certificate programs out there, including an especially inexpensive one from Google.
Related: Top certificates to earn this year
Coding bootcamps
Computer science is one of the fastest-growing industries out there, so there’s no surprise that more and more people are getting computer science degrees. Coding bootcamps are a great college alternative to help you start a coding career.
Bootcamps often require no college education or prior knowledge. Additionally, they often offer income-share agreements or suspended tuition. Some won’t make you begin to pay off your tuition until you’ve landed a job after graduation. When they first began, coding bootcamps were very intensive experiences that would be difficult to maintain while raising a child. However, many opportunities now are flexible and doable for moms. One example is Flatiron School.
Also see: Top coding bootcamp scholarships
Online college
Online college is another burgeoning alternative to traditional four-year colleges. Many schools are offering courses through sites like Coursera. This is an especially popular option for certificates, but also for advanced degrees. They are less expensive, more flexible, and less time-intensive than four-year colleges. Although their prestige is still forming because it is a relatively new concept, the effects of COVID have helped to make more of the population accept online college as a college alternative.
Also see: Top scholarships for online students
Frequently asked questions about scholarships for moms and single moms
Do single moms qualify for Pell Grants?
There are four main factors that determine Pell Grant eligibility:
- Students must demonstrate financial need through the FAFSA
- Students must be US citizens or eligible non-citizens
- Students must be attending college as an undergraduate student
- Eligible students may only use their Pell Grant for 12 semesters (this is total semesters and not necessarily consecutive semesters).
As long as you check off the above eligibility boxes, you will be eligible for a Pell Grant! Remember, applying for the FAFSA will also qualify you for other types of financial aid including federal student loans and work study.
Do parents qualify for the FAFSA?
Yes – parents do qualify for the FAFSA! The FAFSA will allow you to unlock need-based financial aid to pay for college. This can include need-based grants, like the Pell Grant, which do not need to be paid back and federal student loans which can have more favorable interest rates and more flexible repayment plans available to you.
We recommend that every single mother who is contemplating going back to college or finishing their degree applies for financial aid with the FAFSA. The other benefit to the FAFSA is that you can typically combine need-based financial aid with merit scholarships.
Where else can moms find scholarships?
We recommend that you start by looking at scholarships offered to your community. Chances are that your local community offers some great scholarship opportunities. We are a big fan of local scholarships, because students have a better chance of winning due to the smaller applicant pool. You can check out our guide to local scholarships to learn more about how to find, apply for, and win local scholarships.
You can also check out the websites of any college you are interested in. Some hold scholarships specifically for moms and single moms, like this scholarship at Wilson College. And, as always, we recommend that you try out our scholarship search tool! This will custom-match you with vetted scholarships and update as deadlines pass and new opportunities open.
What educational grants do moms qualify for?
One of the most useful educational grants for moms in school is the Pell Grant. This is only an option for those pursuing an undergraduate education, but it provides a substantial amount of money based on financial need. The Jeannette Rankin Women’s Scholarship is another amazing grant for moms over 35.
Do single dads qualify for scholarships too?
Single dads also qualify for a wide range of scholarships. The best way to start off the search is to fill out the FAFSA and to look into scholarships from your employer and from local organizations. You should also check out our scholarship search tool!
