Scholarships for Women
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Female students accounted for 56% of the total undergraduate enrollment in the fall of 2017, and as more and more women pursue degrees, the harsh reality of paying for an increasingly expensive college clouds the experience. In a time when student loan debt has skyrocketed to $1.5 trillion, reliable sources of financial aid are an essential part of containing student debt.
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Student Loan Debt by Gender
According to the latest data provided by the National Center for Education Statistics, female students receive an average of $17,950 in financial aid per academic year, which is $610 less than their male counterparts. While these funds, which are made up of grants, loans, and work-study programs, partially offset the high cost of a degree, they are not enough to ensure that women graduate from college and enter the workforce without significant debt. Hence the importance of merit- and aid-based scholarships.
Unique Challenges
WOMEN ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO GRADUATE WITH DEBT THAN MEN.
Female students face unique financial challenges, both in college and throughout their professional lives.
Increased Student Debt
The American Association of University Women found that women are much more likely to graduate with debt than men, with 41% of female undergraduates taking on debt during the 2015-16 school year compared to 35% of male undergraduates. This leaves women with less money to pay for essentials such as health insurance, housing, and food. In long-term planning, it means they will wait longer to purchase a home, start a family, and have smaller retirement funds.
The Gender Gap
In as recent as 2015, women made just 82 cents for every dollar earned by a man. While federal and state laws have banned gender discrimination, inequality still exists.
Though both of these issues create substantial hurdles for women, maximizing aid and scholarships can significantly lessen the financial burden of higher education. However, many sources of aid go overlooked. Take work study programs. According to a report by the NCES, just 5% of students earn money through work-study, meaning tens of thousands of dollars in aid are left on the table every year.
Below, we investigate the major sources of financial aid awards, which, unlike loans, do not have to be repaid. We explain how scholarships, grants and fellowships work and then identify awards for women that are worth pursuing.
Scholarships
Similar to grants, scholarships are funds that students are not required to pay back. Often this form of funding comes with specific requirements of the student, such as maintaining a certain GPA, earning a specific degree, or living in a particular region. Any student can apply for a scholarship provided they meet the eligibility requirements. Scholarships are particularly valuable to female students, allowing them to offset costs while not going further into debt.
Although scholarship applications vary significantly among different organizations and foundations, they typically have similar baseline requirements:
| Scholarship Application How-To | |
|---|---|
| Essay | Whether writing about a time in life when you overcame a challenge or delineating what a college degree means to you, most scholarship applications require some written component. |
| Transcripts | Undergraduates should have access to their high school transcripts and any records of recently completed college coursework. Graduate students will need their undergraduate transcripts. |
| Letters | Students should have two to three former teachers, mentors or bosses who are able to speak to their qualifications in a letter of recommendation. |
| Tips and Tricks for Scholarship Applicants | |
|---|---|
| Start Early | Even if you aren't planning on attending for another one to two years, get an idea of what's out there. Those who know the field best have the best chances. |
| Go Local | Although there are national scholarships abound, the same can be said for applicants. If there are scholarships specific to your city, state or region, go after these first. You'll have a better shot at securing an award. |
| Tailor | After a certain number of applications, it may be tempting to create generic answers and copy+paste them onto the form. Resist the urge, as individualizing your application to each organization or foundation will show you care about their goals and mission. |
| Gather Documents Early | It's vital that you don't put this off until the last minute, especially if you are relying on letters of recommendation. While you may be able to pull everything together in a rush, you expose yourself to mistakes and an overall dip in quality. |
| Respect the Deadline | While you may have found a scholarship that was tailor-made for you and crafted the best application imaginable, missing the deadline wastes your efforts. Make a calendar of all deadlines for scholarship to which you are applying, and make sure to send everything in on time. |
Applicants seeking further advice can use the following resources:
- Tips on Applying for Scholarships. Eastern Illinois University provides its top pieces of advice for students looking to score a scholarship.
- Tips to Avoid 7 Common Scholarship Application Pitfalls. U.S. News & World Report offers insider knowledge on what selection committees don't want to see.
- Ways Parents and Counselors Can Help Students Earn Scholarships. While other resources are geared toward crafting the perfect application, this resource helps families and counselors know where to find the best scholarships.
- Scholarship Reference Guide. In addition to tips, this resource also highlights common mistakes, scams to avoid, and a range of interesting scholarships to consider.
Where to Find Scholarships
Recognizing the unique challenges faced by female students, numerous prominent women's organizations have created scholarship funds to aid women of all ages in their pursuit of a degree. Students can research organizations such as the American Association of University Women, American Medical Women's Association, P.E.O. Sisterhood, and the American Business Women's Association, to name a few.
Female students can take advantage of a number of institutional scholarships, including those offered by specific programs or departments. Such scholarships can either be merit- or need-based.
Thousands of foundations offer scholarships based on specific interests. Whether seeking exclusively female applicants, students with disabilities, students who plan to pursue a particular topic or career, or those with the highest GPAs, foundations are a vital source of scholarship funding.
Groups like Lions Club International and Rotary International have thousands of chapters throughout the country and many provide local scholarships to graduating high school students. It's worth checking a directory of community organizations and researching which ones provide awards.
Scholarships for Women by Field of Study
The scholarships listed below are available every year. Students should bookmark any of interest and check back regularly for details about the next cycle of awards.
Who's Eligible: Female music students undertaking a degree in piano or voice. Students must submit a performance CD with their application and hold a 3.0 GPA.
Award Amount: $5,000
Who's Eligible: Incoming freshmen, including female students, at CU Boulder who've declared an arts & humanities major. The Gold Scholarship and Achievement Scholarship are available to resident and non-resident students, respectively.
Award Amount: $8,000
Who's Eligible: Graduate female students pursuing a course of study related to the arts or humanities. Candidates must be nominated.
Award Amount: Up to $34,000
Who's Eligible: Female liberal arts students who plan on transferring to a four-year school.
Award Amount:$500
Who's Eligible: Women pursuing a postgraduate degree in accounting with demonstrable academic achievements and a commitment to service. Financial need is also taken into account.
Award Amount: $1,000
Who's Eligible: Women pursuing an advanced degree in accounting.
Award Amount: Up to $5,000
Who's Eligible: Women of Asian or Pacific Island ancestry who can demonstrate holding a leadership role or an entrepreneurial achievement. Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and be enrolled full-time in an undergraduate program.
Award Amount: $2,500
Who's Eligible: Women demonstrating outstanding potential who are also earning a business-related degree.
Award Amount: $2,000 to $8,000
Who's Eligible: Women currently enrolled in a graduate or undergraduate degree program with a demonstrated passion for international development, relations, trade, economics or business.
Award Amount: $1,500
Who's Eligible: Female students undertaking a degree in journalism or communications who plan to pursue a career related to horses.
Award Amount: Varies
Who's Eligible: AWM partners with Ford Motor Company to offer this scholarship. Applicants must send in an essay to be considered.
Award Amount: $1,000 to $3,000
Who's Eligible: Female students who are at least 25 years old, a college sophomore, and intend on teaching at the elementary or secondary level.
Award Amount: $1,500
Who's Eligible: Women who are enrolled in an AMS-affiliated program and can demonstrate financial need.
Award Amount: Varies
Who's Eligible: Female undergraduates enrolled or planning to enroll in a physics teacher preparation course.
Award Amount: Up to $2,000
Who's Eligible: Female students enrolled in a program preparing them to be a teacher in a high need field, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Award Amount: Up to $4,000
Who's Eligible: The SWE manages several awards, with varying eligibility and due dates. The SWE page linked above hosts a series of informational videos on how to pursue the society's awards.
Award Amount: $1,000 to $10,000
Who's Eligible: Students who want to focus on advancing social equity.
Award Amount: Varies
Who's Eligible: An undergraduate woman in her junior year of a four-year engineering program accredited by ABET.
Award Amount: $2,500
Who's Eligible: All members of the mathematical community are welcome to submit nominations for the prize. Nominees must be female undergraduate students and U.S. citizens.
Award Amount:$250 to $1,000
Who's Eligible: A female undergraduate student in her final year of study within a mathematics degree program. Must have a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Award Amount: Up to $2,500
Who's Eligible: Sponsored by Women in Defense, this scholarship encourages women to pursue careers in U.S. national security. Selections are based on need, academic history, participation in defense activities, and more.
Award Amount: Varies
Who's Eligible: Female graduate students enrolled in a statistics program.
Award Amount: $1,000
Who's Eligible: Female undergraduates enrolled in a chemistry program, provided they are in their junior or senior year. They must also have a GPA of at least 3.25 and demonstrate financial need.
Award Amount: A minimum of $1,500
Who's Eligible: Female students studying science, technology, law, business administration, and medicine at the graduate level.
Award Amount: $5,000 to $18,000
Who's Eligible: The Stephen Bufton Memorial Education Fund offers multiple scholarships to women with varying awards.
Award Amount: $2,500 to $10,000
Who's Eligible: Female students who intend to work in law enforcement.
Award Amount: Varies
Who's Eligible: Female graduate and undergraduate students who show outstanding community leadership or volunteerism.
Award Amount: Varies
Who's Eligible: Women with financial constraints pursuing a graduate degree in a science-related program.
Award Amount: Up to $42,000
Who's Eligible: Female students who have completed a Ph.D. in physics and are pursuing research projects.
Award Amount: Up to $45,000
Who's Eligible: A woman enrolled in a two-year or four-year chemistry degree program at a school that does not grant doctoral chemistry diplomas. The applicant also needs to show that she has overcome hardships in her lifetime.
Award Amount: Up to $1,250
Who's Eligible: Female graduate or undergraduate students with a passion for computing and technology. Academic achievement is heavily considered.
Award Amount: $10,000
Who's Eligible: Women enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate engineering or technical science degree. The applicant must be in at least her sophomore year if an undergraduate.
Award Amount: Varies
Who's Eligible: Women enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate level STEM program. They should have completed at least one year of study at the time of application.
Award Amount: $7,000
Who's Eligible: Female bachelor's and master's degree students studying in fields related to information technology.
Award Amount: Varies
Grants for Women
Aside from scholarships, grants are another highly appealing form of funding for female college students. Typically need-based, grants may come from colleges, private organizations, or the government (both state and federal). Like scholarships, these funds do not have to be paid back at any point. Grants are also advantageous because they are open to almost any student who can show financial hardship. They exist at all levels of higher education and can be found at both the local and national level.
Where to Find Grants
Aside from federal programs, nearly every state has a grant program for its residents. The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators provides a map outlining available governmental grants in each state.
Typically offered for students with specific interests or career goals, private corporations often award grants to their employees to obtain further education in a field that will benefit the company.
These types of grants are typically awarded to students who can demonstrate not only need, but also academic excellence and a proven dedication to their field. Numerous female-specific grants are available, particularly to students in graduate programs. The Foundation Center offers a database of foundation grants available to individuals.
With the goal of assisting students from low-income backgrounds, the majority of universities now offer some type of grant funding. The majority of these are awarded based on financial information students and their families provide on the FAFSA form, so filling out this document is crucial.
Who's Eligible: Students who plan to complete a course required to become a teacher.
Award Amount: Up to $4,000 per year.
Who's Eligible: Women who have completed a bachelor's degree and are pursuing an advanced degree or credential.
Award Amount: $2,000 - $12,000
Who's Eligible: Need-based women working to complete a degree or certification process.
Award Amount: Up to $3,000
Who's Eligible: Need-based women who are at least 35 years old and working toward a technical, vocational, associate, or bachelor's degree.
Award Amount: Varies
Who's Eligible: Women who are members of this society are eligible to apply for this scholarship while pursuing Ph.D.-level work, regardless of field of study.
Award Amount: Varies
Fellowships for Women
Fellowships have long been an award coveted by graduate students, though increasingly more opportunities for students pursuing their baccalaureate degree are becoming available. Whether lasting a few months or a few years, fellowships help students develop professional or academic skills and are often sponsored by a specific educational department or organization looking to grow the leaders within that field. As with scholarships and grants, fellowships provide funds with no repayment strings attached.
Where to Find Fellowships
When seeking a fellowship, students should begin by speaking to the financial aid office, either at their current institution or a prospective school. The University of California at Berkeley provides an excellent example of the type of information fellowship applicants can hope to gain from a school. Interested candidates should also research professional organizations or associations within their field, as many of these provide fellowship opportunities. For example, a student pursuing a career in anthropology could apply for one of the American Anthropological Association's numerous fellowships.
Who's Eligible: Full-time female students working to complete a dissertation, conduct research, or prepare for publication.
Award Amount: Varies
Who's Eligible: Female students who have completed a degree and are performing hypothesis-driven graduate research.
Award Amount: Up to $10,000
Who's Eligible: Ph.D. students working to complete their dissertations on a topic related to women's issues.
Award Amount: $5,000
Other Ways to Save
Additional Resources
American Association of University Women
The AAUW works tirelessly on behalf of women in higher education, conducting important research and offering a variety of scholarships, grants and fellowships.
American Business Women's Association
In addition to serving professional women working in business, the ABWA also has a student membership, allowing women to get involved in the business arena while still in school.
Women's Resource Center
Many colleges have dedicated women's resource centers, as seen in this site for Saint Mary's College of California.
American Association for Women in Community College
This nonprofit organization supports women working to complete their degrees at a community college.
BestColleges.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.
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