Some scholarships are written for students who are raising children, and they often draw fewer applicants than general awards. This article helps a student parent find them, put together an application around a full schedule and see how an award fits with the rest of their aid.
Who offers them
Awards for student parents tend to come from close to home. A college foundation may hold funds given for single parents or returning students, and a campus student parent program may run small awards of its own. Community foundations, civic clubs, women's organizations, unions and some employers offer them too.
Each sponsor sets its own rules, which can include a field of study, a county you live in, a minimum course load or a child under a certain age. Read every rule before you start writing, so your time goes to awards whose terms describe you.
Where to look
Start with your college's scholarship portal, where one application is often reviewed for many funds at once. Then ask the financial aid office and the student parent center which outside awards past students have applied for. A local library or community foundation website can list awards limited to your area.
When you search, try terms like single parent, returning student, nontraditional student and student with dependents. No one should charge you a fee to find scholarships or to apply, and a service that asks for one is a warning sign.
Read every rule before you start writing, so your time goes to awards whose terms describe you.
Applying around a full schedule
Deadlines often fall months before the term the award pays for. Keep a list of them in one calendar, and give anyone writing you a recommendation at least three weeks of notice.
Many essays ask how you balance study and family. Write about what you actually do, in plain sentences, and keep a base draft you can shape for each sponsor. Save every essay in one folder so the next application starts from something.
How an award fits with your aid
Tell the financial aid office about every outside scholarship. Your total aid cannot go above your cost of attendance, so a new award may reduce something else. Ask whether the office lowers loans before grants, and whether adding child care to your cost of attendance leaves room for the award.
Scholarship money used for tuition, fees and required books is generally not taxed, while money used for housing or child care can count as taxable income. The IRS publishes the rules for students, and a campus tax help site can walk you through them.
Steps to take
- Fill in your college's scholarship portal application
- Ask the student parent center about outside awards
- Put every deadline in one calendar
- Report any award to the financial aid office
Who decides
Your school's financial aid office and scholarship office
Scholarships for student parents usually come from local sponsors, so look close to home and report every award to the aid office.