Trying to search for available scholarships when you’re no longer a high school senior can be a daunting task. So many scholarship resources are tailored especially to the younger crowd, assuming that everyone follows the straight and narrow path from high school diploma to college degree. But we all know that that’s just not the way life works. For whatever reason, your path diverged, and now you’re a returning student, looking to go back to college after some kind of hiatus. When you’re doing something outside the “norm,” it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, but be proud of yourself! Attending college now is a great move for your life and your career. Also, don’t panic. There are scholarships for returning students and you will be able to find financial aid to help pay for school.
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So, where to start looking? The college or university you’ll be attending may provide some scholarships for returning students, so it never hurts to start looking there. Your current employer may also pay part of your tuition, especially if your degree is related to your line of work—some businesses have even footed the bill for an employee’s PhD program! Many programs exist to provide scholarships for returning students, especially women who are going back to school after raising a family. The free college scholarship search on Scholarships.com can connect you with information on a number of scholarships for returning students, whether they are general scholarships open to everyone, or scholarships specifically for students returning to college. You can also check out our resource page on scholarships for adult students for a partial list of scholarship opportunities for students like you.
While you might feel like it’s unlikely that you’ll receive any scholarship money, returning students may have certain advantages over high school seniors in the scholarship hunt, especially when it comes to essay scholarships. You’ve probably taken a college composition class or two in your day, while your high school competition hasn’t. Even if you think your writing’s not the greatest, just think about how much it’s improved since you were 18. Additionally, as a returning student, you probably have something to write about in your scholarship application. When the prompt asks you to discuss a challenge you’ve overcome or a significant event in your life, you won’t be stuck choosing between the time your dog got run over and the summer you got a paper route to buy your first video gaming system (which probably wasn’t a Playstation 3). Chances are you already have a great topic in your decision to return to school! Many scholarships have an essay component and few have an upward age limit, which makes these great scholarships for returning students.
You don’t know what you’ll qualify for until you look, so start your scholarship search and apply for scholarships for returning students today!
The Arizona Business and Professional Women’s Foundation was founded in 1989, by the Arizona BPW Federation to support the financial needs of women seeking educational opportunities to improve their job opportunities. The first Foundation Scholarship was established in 1990 in honor of past National President, Dr. Dorine Chancellor. Members of the Arizona BPW Federation provided initial funding [...] More
The Soroptimist Live Your Dream Awards (formerly known as the Women's Opportunity Awards) assists women who provide the primary source of financial support for their families by giving them the resources they need to improve their education, skills, and employment prospects. Applicant must be a female who provides the primary financial support for herself and her dependents. Dependents can [...] More
The Grand Rapids Community Foundation's Altrusa International Scholarship is offered to a student who is from Kent, Allegan, Ionia, Ottawa, Montcalm, or Muskegon Counties (6 month residency minimum) and is returning to college or entering college after sitting out of school for at least two years. (Non-traditional returning student) Applicants must demonstrate financial need and provide two [...] More
The Nashville ATHENA Awards Program will bestow scholarships to honor the achievements of women in the greater Nashville metropolitan area (Davidson, Wilson, Williamson, Robertson, Montgomery, Sumner, Cheatham, Dickson, and Rutherford counties). This year, the Nashville ATHENA Scholarship program will award scholarships to traditional (high-school seniors) and non-traditional students (having [...] More
The mission of the Herbert Lehman Education Program is to help transform the promise of racial equality into a social, economic, and political reality by supporting talented undergraduate students with financial need to stay in school and successfully complete their bachelor’s degree. Students who are interested in applying for the Herbert Lehman Scholarship are strongly encouraged to review the [...] More
The AAUW Elmhurst Area Branch NFP is offering grants to local women who need financial assistance to continue their education at the undergraduate or graduate level. An applicant may be studying full or part time and must meet the following criteria: be a resident of Elmhurst, Addison, Bensenville, Berkeley, Northlake, Oak Brook, Oakbrook Terrace, or Villa Park; be continuing education after [...] More
The Women's Re-Entry Scholarship is awarded by the Poway-Penasquitos Branch of the American Association of University Women and is intended for a non-traditional female student who is returning to a school of higher education to complete her education. If you are a woman who has not yet earned a bachelor's degree but wish to do so in order to further your career, you are encouraged to [...] More
When you get acceptance letters from multiple colleges, there’s nothing wrong with taking some time to celebrate. But once the mental confetti has fallen, it’s time to decide: which school do you actually want to attend?
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High school students planning to work in a STEM-based field can rest assured about their career prospects. Research shows that STEM jobs will grow more than twice as rapidly as non-STEM jobs over the next 8 years. [...]
Did you know that there are more scholarships with deadlines in March than any other month? Now is the time to put in a little bit of your time to apply for as many scholarships as you possibly can. Of course, you are going to want to prioritize wisely, with just over a week left in the month. [...]
