Many women forgo a chance to finish their degree so they can get married and raise their kids. Once the kids are old enough to go to school, they may decide to finish their degrees; this is also often true when the family needs more money and another breadwinner in the family. They often feel, however, that it is impossible, and mistakenly assume that all money for higher education is targeted at high school kids and there is no financial aid for women. The good news is that there are a variety of grants and scholarships available to women who want to go back to school and pursue a degree, you just have to know where to look for them.

One option is the Jeanette Rankin Foundation, which offers money to low-income women who are 35 or older and wish to head back to school. These grants have a $2000 value, and are given to women who can demonstrate how getting a degree will help them make their lives better, improve their own families’ situations, and even improve their community in its entirety. For instance nursing financial aid would be a great way to qualify for this grant.

Another foundation, Educational Foundation for Women in Accounting, gives financial aid awards to women who want to pursue postgraduate degrees in accounting. This award’s value ranges from $1000-$5000.

There are times when women have had to leave the work force to raise families or because they’ve decided to work from home and then need to go back. In these situations, it’s often true that they don’t have the skills necessary to compete with those who have just graduated from college. The Possible Woman Foundation International offers $2,000 o $4,000 scholarships for women in this situation, which allows them to re-enter the workforce with the new skills they need for success.

If you already have an undergraduate degree and want to further your education, consider the Selected Professions Fellowships. These are sponsored by the American Association of University Women, and they offer substantial amounts of money, between $5,000 and $20,000, to women who are returning to school for graduate in a specific field, such as architecture, computer and information sciences, math and statistics, or engineering.

Many of the scholarships are grant money for women who want to pursue a degree in math or science, but there are also scholarships available for those who want to pursue artistic degrees. For instance, the College Art Association offers $5,000 fellowships for applicants coming from communities that are marginalized from artistic professions, and the National Sculpture Society offers $1,000 to students who wish to study culture.

These are just some of the many options out there for women returning to school. Remember, you quit school to care for your family. Take some time for yourself, now, so that you can have a brighter future — and your children can, too.

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