Scholarships Grants for Single Moms
Scholarships are available to single moms to start or return to school. These grants do not require repayment. Scholarships can be specific to a career, school, employer, location or ancestry. Many scholarships only require an application, a reference and a written statement explaining why you deserve the money. There is no single database for all education grants, but with a little digging, the rewards can result in a 100 percent funding of your education. Searching for scholarships is like searching for hidden treasure.
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Set Your Education Goals
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Determine what kind of job you want and then work backward to determine the education you need. If you want to be an accountant, look up the requirements of the state to be a certified public accountant. The state will also approve what schools are certified to teach those courses. This is the starting point for looking at schools to determine what financial assistance is available, along with day care assistance. Look for an orientation at the school and ask how much is available in scholarships to students. Be specific that you want scholarships, not financial aid, which includes loans. Scholarship search sites such as scholarship experts.com and college-scholarships.com help you look through your background and goals to see what scholarships are available to you.
Federal Grants
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Pell Grants have been the standard education funding mechanism for every student in need. The maximum award for the 2008-09 award year was $4,731. The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant distributes money through schools for full-time and part-time students based on need. Those awards range from $100 to $4,000. The Academic Competitiveness Grant and the National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent are academic education awards from $750 to $4,000. The College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007 was created by Congress to provide the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Program grant. This grant provides up to $4,000 per year to students who intend to teach in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves students from low-income families. There are other grants with specific industry focus that require the completion of the Federal Application for Student Financial Aid. This lengthy application requires financial information such as paycheck stubs, federal and state tax returns and banking information as well as knowing which school you plan to attend.
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State and Local Grants
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If you qualify for food, housing or unemployment benefits, contact the counselors and ask about education and day care benefits. Be specific about your education goals and when you expect to graduate. Many states offer free college education for orphaned and foster children. State, city and county employees can also qualify for education grants if it furthers their career. Check with the human resources department and the state website for education opportunities.
Business and Service Organizations
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Many professional business organizations such as Rotary International and the Women's Chambers of Commerce offer annual scholarships. Guardian Life Insurance offers national scholarships for girls ages 12 to 18 who have entrepreneurial goals. Soroptimist International of the Americas has a Women's Opportunity Fund, and the American Association of University Women is source for single moms. Women's clubs and professional organizations such as the Black MBAs, Hispanic Scholarship Fund or Asian American Alliance offer annual scholarships. The Jeannette Rankin Foundation is a national education scholarship to women older than 35 who show financial need.
Employer Scholarships
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Check with your human resources office or employee benefits policy book to see whether educational grants are available for employees. Also check with both sets of parents and grandparents for the same benefits from their employers. Children of firemen, unions, the military, utilities and other large corporations often have educational funds for their employees and descendants.
Private Scholarship Funds
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Thousands of private scholarship funds and trusts are set up to further education for a specific group. Check with your local community foundation and the scholarship office at the school you plan to attend.
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