Even with the rising cost of tuition, women should not become disheartened about going back to college. Motherhood, careers, and other aspects of life often get in the way of earning a degree, but one thing is certain: grants for women returning to college are available in very large amounts. Even if you already have a bachelors degree but want to go even further into higher levels of education, there are grants available. The best part of a grant is that it doesn’t have to be paid back. And just for clarification, a grant is a monetary award gifted by various private, corporate, and government organizations, including universities themselves. Here you’ll find great information about scholarships and grants for women returning back to school.
Where to Start
The process for obtaining grants for women returning to college is generally the same, but the starting point can vary depending on life circumstance. Many companies offer scholarships and grants for women returning back to school, so one of the first places you should look is your workplace (if applicable). Ask them if they offer grants for women or just grants in general. Other places to scour for grants are local charities, organizations within fields you are interested in, state and federal governments, and universities and colleges that you are interested in attending. Just start making some calls. That is an easy and effective place to start. Here is a little more information on those places.
Federal Government Grants
Go to FAFSA.com and fill out a FAFSA form. It stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Every woman seeking financial aid for school should do this no matter what. It’s easy to complete and you’ll be notified within weeks concerning what you did and didn’t qualify for.
Universities and Colleges
For the colleges that you’re serious about, call or set up appointments with financial advisors on staff because they can usually provide you with paperwork that will include more financial aid options that you can explore. Continuing education for women is of the utmost importance to higher education establishments.
Charities
There are lots of charities out there that offer scholarships and grants for women returning back to school. Local government offices have been known to be a place where you can obtain lists and other information about what charity organizations exist in your area. Note: typically grants for women from charities are grouped into two different categories: women under 25 and women over 35.
Employers
Employers can be some of the biggest supporters of continuing education for women . Simply by being employed there, you likely already qualify if they offer grants. Especially if you want to further your education in the field where you already work, employers have a great interest in your pursuit of higher education.
Field-Specific Organizations
Even if they aren’t local and you don’t work there, it’s still very worth it to contact corporations and organizations that work within the field that you’re wanted to study when you go back to school and ask if they offer grants for women.
Additional Thoughts
Approach this process from multiple angles to maximize the potential of receiving a reward, such as career you hope to get, degree you want, the company you work for, life obstacles (such as abuse, divorce, cancer survivor, etc), extracurricular activities, state you live in, minority, and age.
Often there are grants that our there that rarely get awarded because no one applies. The rigors of the qualification process vary from grant to grant, but many of them are offered easily and willingly to women. If you are a female minority, the ease with which you may qualify for grants, in general, will likely go up even more.