7 Cosmetology Grants For Single Mothers

It is typical for single mothers to face financial constraints, especially for those who want to get an education on top of it. In this blog post, we have curated a list of cosmetology grants for single mothers who want to pursue careers in the beauty industry.

Being a single mom is challenging. Getting an education above high school is expensive. Combining both is even more difficult but it is not impossible. If others are doing it, you too can and after you must have finished reading this blog post, you will find it even much easier.

Having to take care of yourself and your child is already enough financial load add that to going to college and it becomes even more challenging and finance gets even tougher. But then, getting the education is like investing in yourself and it would yield returns eventually but before getting there, you will spend a lot of money on tuition and could even pile up student debt if you aren’t careful.

If you are a single mother looking to pursue a career as a cosmetologist or any of the careers in the beauty industry, this blog post provides a list of grants you can get to fund and support your education without repaying.

These grants are provided by state and federal governments, organizations, beauty schools, colleges, and other individuals who could be alumni of a cosmetology school. Grants are unlike loans, which means it is free money and once it is awarded to you, you don’t have to pay them back.  

There are different grants from different sources and each of them have slightly different application requirements and eligibility criteria that applicants must meet to be considered for the grant. This slight difference shouldn’t stop you from applying for as many grants and scholarships as you can. Yes, you can apply for as many as you can and you should. Doing this increases your chances of earning more funds towards covering your education.

The typical requirements for cosmetology grants include recommendation letters, a resume or CV, an essay, and a high school diploma. There definitely would be others that will be discussed as we dive into listing and discussing the cosmetology grants for single mothers.

There are also other ways for single mothers to raise money for their academic goals. My previous article on how single moms get paid to go to school is one of these ways. There are also scholarships in Canada for single moms to apply towards pursuing their cosmetology career. You can also go ahead to apply for scholarships for women or the ones targeted at single moms.

Having said that, let’s get into the main topic.

cosmetology grants for single mothers

Cosmetology Grants For Single Mothers

A career in cosmetology is an exciting and fulfilling one. As a cosmetologist, you are in the center of the beauty industry which leaves you open to a wide range of opportunities. You get to work with fashion icons, models, artists, actors and actresses, and others in the fashion and entertainment industry. This is why it is an exciting career because you get to meet and work with different personalities.

Cosmetology education takes about 2 to 5 years to complete including training and licensing. The total cost is also between $5,000 to $20,000 depending on the qualification and institution you attend. Cosmetology grants for single mothers help to cut down on the cost of cosmetology school thereby making it affordable. And depending on the grants you get, you may even end up not funding your cosmetology education from your pocket.

Without any further ado, let’s get into these cosmetology grants for single moms.

  • Federal Pell Grant
  • Alice Madden Barton Scholarship
  • The New York State Tuition Assistance Program
  • OPI Scholarships
  • PBA/Minerva Beauty Scholarship
  • Videl Sasson Basic Professional Beauty Education Scholarship
  • Capture The Dream

1.     Federal Pell Grant

The Pell Grant is a grant that is applied to any educational program and this presents a huge opportunity to single moms who want to go to beauty school. They can apply for the Federal Pell Grant, get the funds, and apply it towards their cosmetology career.

To apply for this grant, you will fill out the FAFSA and use the Estimated Family Contribution (EIC) to determine your financial eligibility. The benefit of the Pell Grant is that it can be applied toward a full-time or part-time program and as a single mom, you’re most likely to go for a part-time cosmetology program.

Apply Here

2.     Alice Madden Barton Scholarship

The Alice Madden Barton scholarship is another “free money” that single moms can get for their cosmetology education. It is a scholarship awarded twice every year in January and July to anyone – single moms included – with an interest in pursuing a career in barbering or cosmetology.

To be considered for the award, applicants must apply online and express a heartfelt dedication to learning and demonstrate a passion for the craft.

Apply Here

3.     The New York State Tuition Assistance Program

This tuition assistance program is a grant that provides up to $5,665 to help eligible New York residents pay for their tuition. Single mothers living in New York can make good use of this as an opportunity to fund their cosmetology education.

To be eligible for the grant, single mothers must have been enrolled in a cosmetology degree program and have earned 12 credits or more in each of two consecutive semesters, and maintain a “C” average. If this interests you, then go ahead to apply for one of the cosmetology schools in New York then after your first year, apply for this grant.

Apply Here

4.     OPI Scholarships

OPI Scholarships are not specifically targeted at single moms but at students in a cosmetology program therefore single moms in a cosmetology program can jump on it. The scholarship is a $500 award given to 24 students annually who are in good standing.

To apply for the OPI scholarship, applicants are required to submit either a written or video essay. The written essay should be 1 to 2 pages long while the video essay should be between 4-6 minutes long and uploaded to Dropbox, Google Drive, or Microsoft OneDrive. The essay should clearly detail why you chose a career in the beauty industry and your long-term goals.

Apply Here

5.     PBA/Minerva Beauty Scholarship

Single moms that are recently enrolled in a beauty program at an accredited cosmetology school are eligible to win $1,000 which they can apply toward their tuition. The scholarship is awarded once a year to 5 students.

To be eligible, you must have completed a minimum of one semester of school with a GPA of 3.0, submit a one-page essay, and a recommendation letter from an instructor.

Apply Here

6.     Videl Sasson Basic Professional Beauty Education Scholarship

This is one of the biggest scholarships for cosmetology students. It is offered in the Spring and Fall of every year to 10 students. The scholarship pays for 50% of the winners’ tuition fees at a cosmetology college of their choice. This is an opportunity that single moms should not miss out on

Apply Here

7.     Capture The Dream

Capture The Dream is a scholarship fund targeted at single parents and minority students who cannot attend college due to the high cost of tuition. Low-income single parents who are residents of the Bay Area are eligible to apply and win $1,000 each which they can apply toward their cosmetology education.

Winners are chosen based on financial need, leadership history, community service record, professional recommendations, and academic performance.

Apply Here

Getting a cosmetology education as a single mom can be tough but it is still possible. Thanks to grants and other scholarship opportunities, single mothers who cannot afford the cost of beauty schools can now go to one without paying for tuition out of their pocket.

Aside from these cosmetology grants for single moms, also look out for general scholarships and apply for them. Applying for as many scholarships and grants as possible boosts your chances of going to cosmetology school completely for free.

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