How to find scholarships for Non-Traditional Students

Defining 'Non-Traditional': A student is considered non-traditional if they are one or more of the following: a displaced homemaker, a college re-entry student, a dislocated worker, a student with dependents (i.e. head of household), a foster child, or an above average aged college student.

Private Scholarships

Association on American Indian Affairs - Single Parent, Head of Household and/or Displaced Homemaker Scholarship
This program targets the needs of mid-life homemakers, both men and women, who would not otherwise be able to finish their education. Financial assistance is provided for up to three years for heads of households, single parents, and/or displaced homemakers. Funds are meant to assist with educational expenses as well as childcare, transportation, and basic living expenses. The scholarship is for an unspecified amount; the application is usually due in September. Must be minimally 1/4-degree Indian blood from a federally recognized tribe.

Business and Professional Women's Foundation
This program provides $750 - $1,000 scholarships for women 25 years of age and older with critical financial need to seek the education necessary to enter, re-enter or advance within the work force. Must be a United States citizen, officially accepted into an accredited program or course of study at a United States institution, and graduating within 12 to 24 months from the date of grant. Applications are usually due in February.

Jeannette Rankin Foundation
To be considered for an award: 1. Applicant must be a female, at least 35 years of age or older. 2. Must be a U.S. citizen. 3. Must be pursuing a first degree at the undergraduate college level or at a technical school. 4. Must be accepted or enrolled in an accredited school. 5. Must have limited financial means (or extreme extenuating circumstances). The scholarship is for $1,500;

Soroptimist International of Bellingham
This award has been established to assist Whatcom County women who are attending/have been accepted to an undergraduate degree program or vocational training program related to obtaining a job or career advancement to return to the workforce or enter the job market. Women, who are heads of households, with primary financial responsibility for supporting their family (children, spouse, or parents), are eligible to apply. The scholarship is for $1,500; applications are usually due in December.

Talbots Women's Scholarship Fund
This is a unique fund designed especially for women returning to school later in life to complete their college degree. Applicants must be women currently residing in the U.S. who have earned a high school diploma or their GED at least 10 years ago. Must be seeking a degree from an accredited 2 or 4 year college or university, or vocational-technical school; and have at least two full-time semesters remaining to complete their undergraduate degree. The scholarship is for $1,000-$10,000;

Whatcom Women in Business
These scholarships are available to a female head of household who wants to further her education. Head of household is defined as being relied upon to support your family. Must be a Whatcom County resident, be enrolled for the 2007 Fall quarter at a secondary academic institution in Whatcom County (WWU, WCC, BTC, or NW Indian College), and not be a friend or relative or a current member of Whatcom Women in Business. Applications are accepted before April 30th of each year.

Internet Resources

The World Wide Web is one of the fastest and easiest ways to look for scholarships. We do not recommend that you pay for scholarship search information. The following is a list of web site addresses to help get you on your way. After trying these, you can also click on the "Search" button on your web browser and use keywords such as scholarships, military, and veteran to see if there are more sites that you might want to try. The Scholarship Center has a computer with internet access available for students to use.

Absolutely Scholarships
This web site has selection criteria for searches such as: non-traditional student, age, birthdate, and single parent. This helps you to easily narrow the database down to what you are looking for.

College Board
Contains search criteria for a returning adult student.

Fastweb
Fastweb has search criteria applicable to non-traditional students and contains many of our Western Washington University scholarships in its database.

Super College
This site has search criteria for non-traditional students and single parents.

Back 2 College
Returning students can find literature, help, guidelines and links to help them with their re-entry.

Yahoo Search Results Page
This page lists popular scholarship search results.