Many single moms can’t get back to school mainly due to financial constraints and, sadly, this has caused a halt in their careers. I’m here to tell you that there is hope for you to continue your education without worrying about finance. In this blog post, I have discussed ways you can get funding for your education as a single mom and other grants you can apply for right now.
The topic of this blog post reads “how single moms get paid to go to school” but this does not mean that single moms are physically handed cash when they attend school. What it means is that single moms can get the required funding they need, either from the government or other resources/establishments to go back to school, that is, for those who are interested in going to college.
With clarity on the subject matter observed, let’s dive into the main article.
Among the significant reasons why a lot of people quit college are financial constraints. Colleges are expensive and leave a lot of people walking around with huge student debts which they mostly carry all their life. And for a single mom, it is even harder because of the many responsibilities that come with looking after the child.
So, you now have the time to go back to school, complete your education, get your degree, and kick start your career that was halted earlier but there is no money to fund your dreams. This shouldn’t be where you give up because there is hope for you and I have discussed how in this blog post.
There are scholarships, grants, and other financial aid opportunities specifically set up for single moms to help fund their studies and help them realize their goals. These findings are provided by the government (state & federal), charity organizations and foundations, NGOs, universities, and some individuals.
In Canada, for instance, there are scholarships for single moms provided by various charity organizations and NGOs in the country. We at Study Abroad Nations also have other helpful posts to assist single moms to get funded education.
Those looking to become nurses can apply for nursing scholarships for single moms and every other person can look out our post on scholarships for women to find a grant or two that will support their college education.
And if you aren’t ready for college yet you can start getting some entrepreneurial skills or enroll in some free online courses. Along with this, you can even get a remote job for moms and begin making some money for your college education. All of these are tips and guides that you can implement towards getting a college education the cheap way.
We also have a wide range of posts on general scholarships for everyone and as a single mom, you could also tap from that. Who knows, you might land yourself a fully-funded scholarship that comes with a monthly stipend.
Who Is A Single Mom?
I’m sure you already know who a single mom is but if you do not, a single mom is simply a mother without a husband or partner.
So, if you have a child or children and are widowed, divorced, or just without a husband or partner, that qualifies you as a single mom in society. If you fall in this category and want to either get back to school to complete your education or just want to begin college, there are varieties of grants and financial aid opportunities for you.
How Single Moms Get Paid To Go To School
As I mentioned earlier before the start of this post, single moms getting paid to go to school does not translate to single moms being handed physical cash for going to school. Rather, they are offered scholarships, grants, and other financial aid to assist their funding to go to school.
However, there are a few grants that support single moms going to school with cash, whether they are returning or just starting. But the most common ones are grants and scholarships that are geared towards sponsoring your education like the FAFSA and Pell Grant provided by the federal government.
The following are ways single moms get paid to go to school:
1. Grants
Grants are free money often provided by either state or the federal government. They can also be provided by NGOs, your school, and other establishments. Grants are like scholarships they give you free money to support your dreams or goals when you meet the requirements and eligibility criteria.
The only difference between grants and scholarships is that while grants are typically need-based, scholarships are merit-based. Also, single mothers can find grants that will award them with physical cash or help with their electric bills, groceries, and water bills.
2. Scholarships
Scholarships are the most popular forms of financial aid and some are specifically set for single moms like the Beatrice F. Kroesche Memorial Scholarship and “Mom to Scholar” Scholarship for Mothers. This doesn’t mean that single mothers cannot apply for other general scholarships, they sure can and also for these ones that are designed specifically for them.
The more scholarship you get the better and there is no rule that says you cannot apply for as many as possible. But general scholarships can be highly competitive and your chances of getting them are slim so, just concentrate more on scholarships for single moms.
You can contact the admissions office of your host university to inquire about scholarships and other financial aid offerings for single moms and apply for them instead.
3. See Whether Your Employer Helps Pay for Education
Companies like Starbucks, SoFi, and Google help pay for the education of their employers. Although this is not a requirement for employers to pay for the education of their employees some do and if you are employed, you can ask them if it is one of the company’s policies to help pay for employees’ tuition.
4. Attend School Part Time
Attending school part-time is more like a tip to reduce the cost of your tuition rather than one of the ways how a single mom can get paid to go to school but it will still help you. Most schools offer part-time and full-time study formats and whichever format you go through still makes you a fully-fledged graduate when you graduate from that program.
As a single mother who wants to continue their post-secondary education or just start it, going part-time is an easy way to manage her time. Part-time allows you to space out your classes allowing you to balance schooling and other responsibilities. You can make money on the side while attending your classes.
5. Subsidized Childcare
This is from Sarah, a single mom pursuing a degree in Education at the University of Alberta. And she says that subsidized childcare means that your childcare expenses can be reduced and not just for on-campus childcare (which tends to be more expensive).
If you provide your local daycare agency with proof that you are a college student and cannot work full-time, they will apply to the government to subsidize your rate. With the rate of your childcare subsidized, you can have more funds for your education and this can help push you a step towards achieving your dream.
These are basically ways and guides on how single moms get paid to go to school but I’d advise that you don’t just end it here. Do a lot of research and ask questions concerning your situation.
Education Grants For Single Moms
Here, you will find varieties of grants that will support your education as a single mother.
- Single Mothers Grants
- Patsy Mink Foundation Education Support Award
- Live Your Dream: Education & Training Awards for Women Program
- LouEllen Dabbs Scholarship
- Federal Pell Grant
- Women’s Independence Scholarship Program
- The Little Bundle Supermom Scholarship
1. Single Mothers Grants
This is a website with a broad repository of education and non-education grants for single mothers and they are quite generous. Some of the mouth-watering grants are the $16,000 grant from Soroptimist International, the $27,000 grant from the Amber Foundation, the $50,000 grant from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, and the $4,000 SMART grant from the federal government.
You can also find other grants that will cover the cost of housing, electric and water bills, rent, and food stamps, and some even offer you cash. Do not waste time checking this out, follow the link below.
2. Patsy Mink Foundation Education Support Award
The Patsy Mink Foundation Education Support Award is a $5,000 award designed to assist single mothers who are pursuing education or training. The criteria for the award is that you must be a mother with minor children and pursue a first degree at the post-secondary level of education.
The foundation offers up to $5,000 to each woman. Awardees are selected based on financial need, personal circumstance, educational path, vocational or occupational goals, and services of activists of civic goals.
3. Live Your Dream: Education & Training Awards for Women Program
The Live Your Dream Award Program is for women, therefore, single moms can apply as well. Annually, the foundation invests over $2.8 million in education grants to 1,700 women who want to get postsecondary education. Whether you want to get a college degree or attend a vocational institution for training programs, this award program is for you.
According to the foundation, as a recipient of the Live Your Dream Awards, you have complete financial autonomy to offset any costs associated with your efforts to attain higher education or skills training, such as tuition, books, childcare, and transportation.
4. LouEllen Dabbs Scholarship
The LouEllen Dabbs Scholarship is for single parents interested in pursuing a career in business, banking, or finance and being registered at Holyoke Community College with a minimum of 9 credits and a minimum GPA of 2.5 or higher.
Selection criteria for the scholarship are financial need, academic achievement, and character and potential for academic achievement.
5. Federal Pell Grant
The Federal Pell Grant is one of the most common grants among students in the US and unlike a loan, it is completely free and does not have to be repaid. It is a need-based grant for undergraduate students including single moms, who meet certain income requirements. Although enhanced assistance is given to single moms.
You will fill out the FAFSA when applying for the Pell Grant and as a single mom, you will submit your income and number of children to find out how much money that you qualify for.
6. Women’s Independence Scholarship Program
The Women’s Independence Scholarship Program is for women who identify as female survivors of intimate partner abuse and must have been separated from their abuser for up to a year, at least. Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents and must have been accepted into an accredited university in the US.
You will also demonstrate financial need and the desire to complete your training or academic program. Preference will be given to single moms and students in vocational or technical programs. The award ranges from $500 to $2,000 per semester or quarter. But for a master’s degree, it can go up to $1,000 per semester or quarter.
7. The Little Bundle Supermom Scholarship
The Little Bundle Supermom Scholarship is for a single mother living in the US and accepted into a postsecondary institution either to pursue a degree or vocational training. The scholarship is also awarded to high school students who are either the child of a single mother or closely impacted by a single mother.
You can apply for any of these grants for single mothers and be on your way to getting an education with a less financial load.