This post talks about scholarships for nontraditional students. Enrolling in an undergraduate program after high school is not an option available for everyone. Some people prefer to take a few steps back and postpone their plan on getting that degree for many reasons. The most common reason is that they are simply not able to handle the expensive cost of college education, while some other people don’t have time for college because they have their family obligations that are time-consuming.
By the time they have overcome these obstacles, many people think that it is difficult to get back to college, and they often feel out of place and have no confidence that they can finish the college education as expected. When these people decide to attend college, they are classified as nontraditional students.
Education Scholarships for Nontraditional Students
In general, someone can be considered as non-traditional student if they are:
- Adult learners
- Undergraduate students who have to take academic break due to certain things, and are returning to college to finish the college education
- Students who don’t go to college right after they get their GED from high school
- Single parents
There are many people like this, so you can be sure that you are not alone. Unlike the common baseless assumption, there are actually many scholarships and grants available for these nontraditional students. These scholarship and grant programs come from various sources, from the Federal government, organizations or foundations.
We highly recommend you to fulfill the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible. This is an important step because the eligibility of receiving the Pell Grant will open many other opportunities that can help you cover the cost of college education. The FAFSA will be evaluated based on your Expected Family Contribution (EFT) score, along with many other indicators. Usually the Pell Grant awardees are eligible for many other financial aid programs, including federal and institutional scholarships and student loans. Many of these nontraditional students qualify for the Pell Grant, so you should give it a try.
Scholarships for Nontraditional Students Opportunities
Below are several other opportunities for scholarships for nontraditional students coming from various organization and foundations in the United States:
Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation – http://www.patsyminkfoundation.org/
This is another great program that can really help nontraditional students, especially single mothers who are pursuing their degree in a college education.
Jeannette Rankin Foundation Scholarship – https://rankinfoundation.org/?s=scholarship
This scholarship is available for women coming from low income family who are attending technical or vocational education. Although both traditional and nontraditional students are allowed to apply, we believe that nontraditional students have an edge.
American Association of University Women – https://www.aauw.org/resources/programs/fellowships-grants/
This reputable AAUW association has provided a lot of help for many women pursuing education, including for female nontraditional students. They encourage women to advance their career and increase their skills.
Denny’s Single Parent Student Scholarship, Hispanic College Fund
This scholarship is a need-based scholarship that is available for single parent students whom are descendants of Hispanic race.
There are many other scholarships for nontraditional students, including the ASIST scholarship, American Legion Non-Traditional Student Scholarship, Association of Nontraditional Students in Higher Education, etc.
References :
- American Association of University Women – https://www.aauw.org/
- Women’s Independence Scholarship Program – http://wispinc.org/
- Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation – http://patsyminkfoundation.org/
- Jeannette Rankin Foundation Scholarship- https://rankinfoundation.org/?s=scholarship
- Image : huffingtonpost.com
