The Best Scholarships for Single Parents

Easily one of the best scholarships available for single parents, this government-funded scholarship is worth pursuing. Students who are in the top five percent of their class are eligible to apply. Perfect for the single parent, the scholarship has income limits and applicants who lower on income scale qualify, which makes it a great fit for the single parent in school. One of the highest scholarships available, students may receive up to $20,000 to cover both educational and living expenses. In order to qualify, students must be pursuing a degree that will prepare them for a profession in the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and must sign a contract to serve as an NIH employee for ten weeks a year.

A redeeming opportunity for single mothers who have been in an abusive relationship, the Women’s Independence Scholarship Program provides hope in hopeless situations. The scholarship was born out of a desire to help female survivors gain independence and self-sufficiency. The amount awarded is based on an individual’s financial situation and applicants must have a critical need. Applicants need to display a strong desire to complete an academic program and have a plan to use their academic training in a career field. Additionally, the applicants must be in a program with a non-profit agency receiving counseling and services to help them as survivors of abuse.

A heart-wrenching story, Raise the Barr was founded by Anthony Barr to help single parents attend school. When Anthony Barr was growing up, he and his mother lived with his grandparents. His mother worked two jobs while going to school to further her education. As a young child, he greeted her every night when she came home fatigued from a long day. Inspired by his mother, Barr’s charitable foundation works to give single-parent households a better chance at continuing education.

Raise the Barr offers emergency grants for unexpected financial needs, scholarships for tuition and various other education expenses, and grants to give post-secondary opportunities to single-parent families. 

The Foundation also provides emergency micro-grant funding of $500 or less to help single-parent undergraduate students who have unforeseen financial needs. This can include expenses for car repairs or medical bills. Emergency Grants are a one-time gift to help remove the obstacles and allow students to graduate.

The Bethel Foundation provides excellent resources for single mothers. The most notable is a scholarship of up to $3000 to single mothers who are enrolled in an undergraduate program and are at- or near- poverty level. The scholarships are awarded per semester, and applicants must apply each semester and the money may be used for tuition or for books. Bethel’s goal is to help single mothers better their lives by pursuing a degree that will increase their income-earning potential.

In addition to the scholarship, the Bethel Foundation also offers a wide range of programs to help single mothers. Other programs include a food bank and emergency pantry, a home-ownership program, cooking classes, and an angel’s program to provide Christmas gifts to children of single mothers.

One of the highest awarding scholarships for single parents, the Soroptomist Live Your Dream Award is worth looking into. While the scholarship is limited to women who are the primary financial support their families, once awarded, it pays off. Up to $16,000 can be awarded to cover the cost of tuition, supplies, or even childcare. This makes it an excellent option for single mothers. Applicants also must display financial need.

The scholarship is not limited to U.S. citizens, and residents of Soroptomist International of the Americas’ countries are eligible as well. Other application requirements state the applicant can not have a graduate degree, and they must be motivated to achieve educational and career goals.

A great scholarship option for the single parent who is graduating high school, the Fontana Transport Scholars Program is worth considering. Based in Southern California, Fontana Transport Inc. is a family-owned trucking company. The owners are passionate about higher education and desire to help future leaders pursue a higher education degree. They believe that everyone deserves an opportunity to pursue a college education. Applicants must demonstrate financial need and must be first-generation high school seniors who are pursuing a full-time undergraduate degree at a four-year university. They also must be studying in the following areas:

• Transportation Management
• Science
• Math
• Pre-Med
• Engineering ( Any field of engineering)
• Architecture
• Environmental Design
• Spanish Language/Literature
• Psychology

Single parents who are graduating from high school may be good candidates for the Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF) Scholarship program. The program provides for the financial needs of the students and also provides hands-on mentoring and support services. Application requirements include:

• A graduating high school senior;
• Plan to attend an accredited four-year college in the United States;
• Demonstrate leadership potential;
• Dedicated to community service;
• Show financial need;
• Be a U. S. citizen;
• Have a minimum SAT score of 1,000 or a composite ACT score of 21;
• Not possess a college degree 

The Patsy Takemoto Mink award is one of the best scholarships for single mothers. The first woman of color to serve in the U. S. House of Representatives, Patsy Takemoto Mink was a woman who dedicated her life to both civil rights and women’s rights. She was committed to provided educational opportunities for low-income mothers and children. The scholarship is awarded each year to up to five applicants in the amount of $5,000 each. Award money may be used for both educational or living expenses. Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• must be a woman who is 17 years old or older
• a mother with minor children.
• must be pursuing their first degree at any level
• enrolled in a not-for-profit institution or program 
• Low-income- annual family income less than $20,000 for a family of two; less than $24,000 for a family of three; less than $28,000 for a family of four

An excellent scholarship opportunity for single parents, the Ford Scholars Program was created to support students who otherwise would find it very difficult to earn a college degree. The scholarship was created by the founder of the Ford Family Foundation, Kenneth W. Ford. There are 125 Ford Scholars chosen each year. Once chosen, the scholarship is renewable for up to four years of an undergraduate program.

Residents of the State of Oregon or Siskiyou County, California will find this scholarship for single parents as one of the best. Created by Hallie E. Ford, who was one of the founders of The Ford Family Foundation, the Ford Opportunity Program assists single parents who are working to obtain a degree. There are up to 50 students selected each year. Applicants must be single parents who file as “head of household” on their taxes and who are attending or going to attend a college or university. The scholarship applies to both an associate or bachelor’s degree and can be used for up to four years of education.

A great scholarship for single parents who are over the age of 24, the Ford ReStart Program is a need-based program. There are up to 46 Ford ReStart Scholars selected each year. This generous scholarship covers 90% of unmet college costs and takes into account the college’s Cost of Attendance as well as other grants and scholarships. Students must be no more than halfway through their degree program and seeking either a two- or four-year degree. The scholarship only applies to students who are attending or planning to attend a college or university in either Oregon or California. Funds are available for up to four years.

A potential scholarship for single parents, the Scholarship Program for Sons and Daughters of Employees of Roseburg Forest Products Co. is an excellent opportunity for those who meet the criteria. There are very specific criteria, but for those who qualify, this is a great opportunity. In addition to being a dependent of a Roseburg Forest Products Co. employee, applicants must be seeking a technical degree and 21 years old or younger. The number of recipients varies each year. Once chosen, students can renew the scholarship each year if they are able to demonstrate satisfactory academic progress. 

The Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship is an excellent resource for those in the right geographical location. The scholarship is for single parents specifically and for those who are in the lower-income brackets. Although you must have a high school diploma or GED, the required GPA is only 2.0. Applicants must be working towards a degree that will later help them support a family. Students who are interested in pursuing other scholarships should check out their website, as there is an abundance of other resources and scholarship information. In addition to providing scholarships, the ASPSF provides other valuable resources to single parents. These include:

• Career or Financial Planning
• Tutoring and Mentoring
• Referrals to Other Resources

The Educational Foundation for Women in Accounting offers several excellent scholarships for single women. Scholarships are as follows:

• The Women In Transition scholarship is awarded to a woman who is the primary source of support for her family and is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. Recipients are awarded up to $16,000 over four years. 
• The Women In Need scholarship is for a female who is the primary income source for her family and is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. Winners are given $2,000 per year for two years can be renewed with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• Institute of Management Accountants IMA®  is given $2,000 to women who are working toward a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. Winners of this award are also given a one-year student membership to the IMA, the CMA exam entrance fee, and the exam registration fee.
• The Rhonda J. B. O’Leary Memorial scholarship is for $2,000 and is awarded to an undergraduate or graduate student attending college in the State of Washington and pursuing a degree in Accounting.
• An annual scholarship, the Michele L. McDonald Memorial is $1,000 towards an Accounting degree. Preference is given to a woman returning to college from the workforce or after raising children, making it an excellent choice for a single mother who wants to pursue education to better her career.
• The Moss Adams Foundation awards an annual scholarship of $1,000 for women who are pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. This scholarship is available to minority women, or women who are returning to school to finish their degree.

A scholarship that single mothers won’t want to miss, the Jeannette Ranking Women’s Scholarship is fairly simple to apply for. Qualifications include income (only low-income women qualify) and applicants must be enrolled in a non-profit institution pursuing a technical, associate’s, or first bachelor’s degree. Winners will be accepted based on an essay explaining their goals, how they plan to reach their goals, and how they will use their education to give back to the community.

A perfect scholarship for older single mothers, the Jeannette Ranking Women’s Scholarship is awarded in the amount of 2,000 each year. Application qualifications include income, applicants must be enrolled in a non-profit institution pursuing a technical, associate’s, or first bachelor’s degree. Applicants must also submit an essay explaining their goals, how they plan to reach their goals, and how they will use their education to give back to the community.

There are several scholarships for single parents available through the SR Education Group. The group is designed to help prospective college students find a school suited to their individual needs, from low tuition costs to degrees that lead to career advancement and increased salaries. SR Education focuses on providing comprehensive, unbiased information. The available scholarships, which are all in the amount of $5,000 are the Community College Scholarship, Military Scholarships, Undergraduate Scholarships, and Graduate Scholarships. Truly dedicated to supporting college students, SR Education Group has awarded approximately $637,000 to needs-based scholarships since 2010.

An excellent resource for scholarships for single parents, Scholarship America was born out of a dream by an optometrist, Dr. Irving Fradkin. He believed that if everyone in the community gave just one dollar towards a scholarship fund, every student in the community would be able to attend college. The dream, born in 1958, worked, and today, Scholarship America is the nation’s largest private, non-profit scholarship organization. The organization has given more than $4.2 billion to over 2.5 million students and continues to give money away each year. The number and type of scholarships available through Scholarship America are vast, and the best way to find a scholarship that fits your needs is to visit their website and browse through the list, seeing what qualifications you meet.

The National Hook-Up of Black Women, Inc. offers two great scholarship opportunities for single mothers. The two scholarships are the Dr. Arnita Young Boswell Scholarship, and the Dr. Wynetta A. Frazier Scholarship “Sister-to-Sister.” The non-profit group was founded by Dr. Arnita Young Boswell and 13 other women in 1974 during the Fourth Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Weekend. These passionate women of color met in a hotel room and organized a national forum to voice the needs and concerns of Black women and children. Along with supporting Black women in leadership roles, especially in Congress, they work to empower young women to color to get an education and make a difference in their communities.

Awarded annually, this scholarship is for a minority who is seeking to enter into the library or automation field of study. This could be an excellent career choice for a single parent as the field is in high demand and offers a flexible work schedule. Applicants must submit letters of reference and a personal statement describing their commitment to library science. It should be noted that the scholarship is for someone who is earning a master’s degree.