Having a child at any age can be a challenge. Suddenly, instead of only having yourself to be responsible for, you also have a child.
While your child can be the best thing that happens to you, it might make pursuing a college degree seem less important. And if you are raising a child on your own, it could seem like going to college is low on the list of priorities.
That’s where scholarships for single parents come in. Many government agencies and foundations recognize that unique struggles that come with raising a child on your own, and want to offer financial support to help you achieve your dream of attending college.
There are many types of scholarships for single parents available. Some are government-funded, statewide initiatives like the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund.
This fund distributes college money for single parents on a county by county basis, and encourages scholarship recipients to enter vocational programs that can help improve the quality of life for the student and his or her child. Other states have similar initiatives, and finding out more is as easy as running an Internet search, or contacting the financial aid office of the college you are interested in attending.
Other sources of funding for single parents are foundations devoted to promote success for low-income students and their children through continuing education. The Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation (http://www.patsyminkfoundation.org/edsupport.html), for example, offers scholarships to women (including single mothers) to give them the extra help they need to go back to school.
Single parents can also qualify for college scholarships that aren’t necessarily specific to single parenting, but who have faced other challenges that might prevent them from having to means to access higher education.
The Women’s Independence Scholarship Program (WISP) offers scholarships to women who have left an abusive domestic situation and are pursuing a college education to better their situation.
If you are a single parent looking to pursue a degree or certificate program, it can help to be creative about gaining scholarships for college, looking not only at scholarships for single parents specifically, but also at scholarships that might apply to students who have overcome challenges. You can also find other means on non-monetary support like day care and low-cost housing for students that can help you attend class and obtain your degree.
Please visit the scholarship profiles for more specific information about scholarships for single parents.
Arkansas Single Parents Scholarships (and Mink Foundation awards) >>>
