Did you know that besides the Federal Student Aid that both men and women can apply for when enrolling in college there are scholarships for women and single parents as listed below? Remember, you should never have to pay to search or apply for scholarships. Follow these tips to avoid scams.

Scholarships for women and single parents

• The American Association of University Women offers fellowships, grants and scholarships to help women advance their careers, change careers or re-enter the workforce (winter deadline).
• The AARP Foundation Women’s Scholarship Program helps low-income women, ages 50 or older, pay for education or training that can lead to better employment and increased financial security (spring deadline).
• Business & Professional Women’s Foundation Career Advancement Scholarships are given to women, ages 25 or older, who are within two years of completing their bachelor’s degree in science, technology, engineering, mathematics or a related field at an accredited institution.
• The Educational Foundation for Women in Accounting awards scholarships to women who are getting their bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree in accounting (winter deadline).
• The Emerge Scholarship helps women, ages 25 or older, who are returning to school after a break, changing careers or trying to advance in their current career. Preference is given to Georgia residents (fall deadline).
• The Executive Women International Adult Students in Scholastic Transition Scholarship is available for women facing economic, social or physical challenges who want to improve their situation through educational opportunities (fall deadline).
• The Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship is given to women who are enrolled in a computer science or computer engineering program.
• The Jeannette Rankin Foundation Scholarship is awarded to low-income women, ages 35 or older, to help them get a higher education (spring deadline).
• Linda Lael Miller Scholarships are awarded to women, ages 25 or older, to help them improve their lives through education (fall deadline).
• Newcombe Scholarships for Mature Women Students are given directly to colleges and universities to help returning or second-career women who are seldom able to qualify for financial aid.
• The Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation awards scholarships to low-income women who have children and are getting an education or training (summer deadline).
• The Philanthropic Education Organization offers several continuing education scholarships, programs and awards for women.
• The Society of Women Engineers gives scholarships to women who are getting a degree in engineering, technology or computer science careers (winter and spring deadlines).
• Soroptimist Women’s Opportunity Awards help single moms and other women who are the primary source of financial support for their families get a higher education (winter deadline).
• The Women’s Independence Scholarship Program (WISP) helps women, who have been victims of domestic abuse, get an education that will enable them to maintain stable employment, personal independence and self-sufficiency. In particular, this scholarship helps single mothers who have young children and are struggling with child care and education costs.
• There are also state & local scholarships for single parents, such as the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund, Boise State University’s Scholarships for Women or Single Parents, Minnesota’s Coplan Donohue Single Parent Scholarship, and the P.E.O. Sisterhood Utah State Chapter’s Gump & Ayers Scholarship Fund.

Resources for employment

There are companies that provide gainful employment to their employees by putting an emphasis on work-life balance, supporting diversity, offering reward and recognition programs, education and recreation programs, providing flexible work schedules and having greater opportunities to take leave, enabling them to care for family members without worryng about losing their jobs.

The WorkingMother.com presents 100 Best Companies that know what it takes to keep their employee moms productive and engaged both at work and at home. These companies include Abbot, Accenture, Allstate, American Express, AOL and plenty more.

For more information on education and employment, please visit Job Search Central at 188 Madison Avenue and 34th Street.