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Edited By: Scholarships for Non-Traditional Students
Key takeaways:
- As of 2025, non-traditional students are the majority population of all undergraduate students in the United States.
- Scholarships.com has awards for all kinds of nontraditional students, including those who are adults, parents, online, part-time, or returning to college after a break.
- Any student enrolled in a college-level program, whether or not they are seeking a degree in the traditional manner, can qualify for and win scholarships.
Scholarship availability, eligibility, and awards are not guaranteed and are subject to each school’s terms and selection criteria.
According to Genio’s 2025 New Majority Learner Report, more than 40% of undergraduate students in the U.S. are over the age of 22, and almost 70% work while enrolled in college. That means that non-traditional students have become the majority population in higher education. If you’re a non-traditional student looking to attend college, Scholarships.com has all you need to get started. Keep reading to find out how.
Jump to:
- 25 Best Scholarships for Non-Traditional Students
- Who is considered a non-traditional student?
- Where to find scholarships for non-traditional students
- What are the best scholarships for non-traditional students?
- Frequently asked questions about scholarships for non-traditional students
The 25 Best Scholarships for Non-Traditional Students with Approaching Deadlines in 2026
Who is considered a non-traditional student?
There are many qualities that may cause a college student to be considered non-traditional, such as their age, the manner in which they approach school, or circumstances that complicate their living situation and access to education. Some of the main categories of non-traditional students are listed below.
Adult students
Students whose ages are outside the typical range for attendance at an undergraduate institution are considered to be adult students. While any student who is not between 18 and 22 years old falls into this category, many colleges and scholarship providers only consider undergraduate students who are above the age of 25 to be adult students. If you are 25 or older and entering college for the first time, you may be considered a non-traditional student.
Returning students
Returning students are those who have previously been enrolled at a college or university, but have taken a leave of absence. Students who have withdrawn from college, taken medical leave, or who have been expelled fall into this category if they re-enroll in school after their time away. Returning students, also known as continuing students, are considered to be non-traditional.
Students with dependent children
Students who have dependent children are usually defined as non-traditional students because their school-life balance differs significantly from that of non-parent students. Students who are parents, especially those who are single mothers, face so many unique challenges that there are entire organizations dedicated to helping them pursue higher education.
Online students
While online school has existed about as long as the Internet has, the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S. brought new attention to remote learning structures. Since then, distance learning programs have remained a viable option for students who cannot or prefer not to attend college in-person, like Scholarships.com winner Daisha Jackson. As a fully online and thus non-traditional student, she won enough scholarship money to graduate debt-free.
Part-time students
Most students at 4-year colleges attend class full-time, even if they work jobs on the side. Part-time students are those who are enrolled in college, but do not take as many credit hours as is standard. The exact amount of credit hours that defines a student as part-time rather than full-time depends on the college they attend, but no matter the number, part-time students are almost always considered to be non-traditional students.
Where to find scholarships for non-traditional students
The best place to find scholarships for non-traditional students is on Scholarships.com. There are countless scholarships in the Scholarships.com database, all of which are vetted for legitimacy and organized into categories such as those for minority students, those for students aged 25, and those for students who have dependent children. Non-traditional students can easily use Scholarships.com to find scholarships for which they are eligible.
Many non-traditional students qualify for federal financial aid in the form of Pell grants or student loans. To receive federal funds, though, students must first fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It’s important for non-traditional students to fill out the FAFSA even if they don’t intend to take out any student loans because many scholarships require applicants to have FAFSA submissions on file.
What are the best scholarships for non-traditional students?
Because the traits that can designate students as non-traditional vary so widely, the best scholarship for any individual non-traditional student may differ from that of their peers. Therefore, non-traditional students should look for scholarships whose eligibility criteria is specific and targeted to their individual needs to find the best scholarships for them.
If you are a non-traditional student looking for the best scholarships for you, you should sign up for a free account on Scholarships.com. Scholarships.com’s free matching service will provide you with a personalized list of scholarships for which you can really apply; you’ll even receive weekly emails with deadline updates and new opportunities to ensure you don’t miss out on any scholarship applications.
Frequently asked questions about scholarships for non-traditional students:
Are there any grants for non-traditional students?
Grants differ from scholarships in that they are often government-funded. Often, individual U.S. states offer grants for their residents, especially those with unique needs that may not be addressed by federal student loan options. For this reason, there are many grants available to non-traditional students in assorted U.S. states. Grants may also be funded by private foundations and organizations, colleges and universities, corporations, nonprofits, and religious groups.
One example of a state government funded grant for non-traditional students would be the Minnesota Child Care Grant. Minnesotan students who have children under the age of 12 in their care may qualify for the program, which has been established to offset the costs that student-parents face. Undergraduate and graduate students with young children can use this $6,500 grant to pay for childcare services while they attend classes.
Can you get scholarships if you aren’t in school?
By definition, scholarships can only be used for educational expenses. If you are planning to attend college but not currently attending college, or if you are enrolled at college but have not yet arrived to campus, you can win scholarships to use for your eventual schooling— but if you aren’t in school and do not plan to be in school in the future, then you cannot win scholarships.
Are there scholarships for non-degree seeking students?
Most students who attend college do so in order to obtain a degree. However, some non-traditional students enroll in collegiate programs to achieve certifications or licenses which are not considered to be degrees. These students are called non-degree seeking students.
While the majority of college scholarships cater to students who are working toward degrees, there are also some scholarships designed with non-degree seeking students in mind. The Plan New Hampshire Scholarship and Fellowship, for example, is open to non-degree seeking students as well as typical degree seekers. It is worth up to $3,500 for residents of New Hampshire.
Are there scholarships for students without high school diplomas?
Because the typical model for students to attend college is to enroll upon high school graduation, navigating the financial aid process without a high school diploma can be challenging. The first step in returning to the educational world without a high school diploma is to take and pass the GED Test. A GED is considered equivalent to a high school diploma and is often the best way for adult students who did not complete high school to enter college.
Once you have equivalency via a GED, you can usually attend college and apply for scholarships just like students who have high school diplomas do. Some scholarship providers even make specific allowances for GED holders; the Delmar Foundation Scholarships, for example, outline specific guidelines for West Pennsylvanian GED holders in addition to those with diplomas.
Can you get a scholarship at a non-accredited school?
Accreditation is the process through which colleges and universities are vetted for legitimacy. It involves federal, state-level, and private review of school practices, campuses, and curricula. Almost all private scholarships require students to attend accredited colleges to qualify; federal financial aid is only available at accredited institutions.
Non-accredited institutions may try to appeal to non-traditional students by offering “life experience” degrees in return for direct payments. While it is possible to attain institutional financial aid at a non-accredited school, the degrees you can receive from them are functionally meaningless across the U.S.
If you are a non-traditional student, be sure to thoroughly research all the institutions to which you plan to apply, especially if you are considering online learning. Attending an accredited school is the only way to ensure the quality of your education meets the standards of the U.S. Department of Education, and as such, the only way to ensure your degree will be considered valid across the country.