College Scholarships & Resources for Women

Scholarships and Grants for Women Students

There are lots of forms of financial aid available to help make college more affordable, including:

• Student loans and loan forgiveness programs
• Scholarships and grants
• Tuition discount, deferment, and installment plans
• Assistantships and fellowships (primarily for grad students)
• VA benefits (for military vets)
• Employer tuition reimbursement

Of all of the these forms, the most popular are scholarships and grants. That’s because scholarships and grants act as essentially free funding since they’re not paid back.

So, the benefit of winning scholarships is clear. But you can’t win them until you:

• Find ones that you both qualify for and stand a good chance of landing
• Submit a winning application

To help you with that first step, we’ve listed below ten great scholarships offered exclusively to women. As you review them, be sure to take note of their specific eligibility and application requirements.

The Keys to Landing Your Scholarship

Now that you’ve (hopefully) found some scholarships to apply to, it’s time to put together the very best scholarship application and submittal materials you can. This is crucial because winning a scholarship requires that your application stand above all competition, which can be substantial.

To help you through the process, here are five valuable tips you can use to ensure a great scholarship application:

Key #1: Get your application in early.

Scholarship committees often review applications as they arrive. Therefore, the earlier you get yours in, the better your chances of making a lasting impression on the people who select the winners.

You’ll also avoid having your application lumped in with all the other late submitters. Just be sure that whenever your submit your application, it’s complete and mistake free.

Key #2: Apply to local scholarships.

Applying to big national scholarships with big payouts is fine, but don’t discount smaller, local scholarships in the process.

Typically offered by local organizations, businesses, and charities, these scholarships often come with smaller awards, but with less competition as well (upping you chances for a win.) And winning scholarships with smaller awards beats losing ones with big awards every time.

Key #3: Employ an extra set of eyes — or two.

Submitting an application with spelling or grammar errors can quickly sink any chance you have at winning a scholarship. So, be sure to go over your applications with a fine tooth comb several times before sending them in.

It’s also highly recommended that you have one or two persons you trust review your applications as well. When it comes to spotting avoidable mistakes on your application, nothing beats a set (or two) of fresh eyes.

Key #4: Create a great essay that reflects who you are.

No part of your scholarship application offers you the opportunity to set yourself apart and above your competition more than your personal statement or essay. It’s there where you can really impress the selection committee with your passion and commitment to your education and career pursuits.

So, be sure to take the time and make the effort to compose the very best personal statement/essay you can. Simply put: A great statement or essay is often the difference between landing and failing to land an award you really want.

Key #5: Ask for letters of recommendation early.

Most scholarship contests require applicants to submit one or more letters of recommendation. Getting good ones can take some time, though, so get started on finding your letter writers right away.

Be sure to seek out writers that fit the scholarship’s requirements and can speak directly and positively to your knowledge, skills, and other professional and personal attributes. And once you’ve gotten commitments from your writers, check in with them from time to time to make sure they get their letters completed and in before the submittal deadline.

Essential Funding Resources for Women Students

The process of securing funding for college means searching out great scholarships, grants, and other lucrative financial aid opportunities. However, there’s more to being financially prepared than securing funding.

To help you keep your finances on track, here are several quality budgeting, saving, and other financial-related resources you can use for your education and beyond.

Budgey

Budgey is an app that allows you to create simple budgets so you can stay on track to pay for school. It’s perfect for college students because all you have to do is name your desired budget, choose spending categories, and input when you get paid.

Clever Girl Finance

Clever Girl Finance is a free financial education platform designed to help women achieve financial freedom. Content areas include budgeting, debt management, investing, and building a side hustle.

The College Financial Lady

The College Financial Lady blog and podcast provides numerous resources focused on paying for expenses and saving money while in college. Site visitors can access a free masterclass on planning for an affordable college education.

50 Discounts & Freebies Every Nursing Student Should Know

Securing funding for college isn’t just about paying tuition. It’s also concerns having the money to pay for living expenses. This EduMed guide offers access to tons of valuable discounts and freebies to help nursing students survive fiscally throughout their college years.

The Essential FAFSA Checklist for College Students

If you think you have any interest in pursuing federal financial aid, then you must fill out and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This checklist from EduMed walks you through each step of the FAFSA submittal process.

Credit Karma

You likely know something about Credit Karma already, but what you might not know is that it offers a budgeting app that’s great for college students. The app allows them to track their monthly spending and income, receive bill reminders, monitor their credit score, and more.

The Online College Student’s Guide to Financial Aid

Finding ways to pay for college can be overwhelming. This EduMed guide to financial aid for online students can help, with lots of useful knowledge and advice on a wide range of financial aid resources and subjects.

Women’s Institute for Financial Education (WIFE)

The Women’s Institute for Financial Education website offers financial education resources and tools that can benefit women in college, including financial and cost of living calculators.