Scholarships for Women

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Are There Scholarships for Women?

There are a wide range of scholarships for women at all levels of study and all ages. Whether you are in high school, or ready to pursue a bachelors or graduate degree.

Some scholarships are for minority or low income women. Other scholarships may target a specific field to incentivize women to study it. Others scholarships may be available for women in STEM, business, nursing, and armed forces.

Yet others are set aside for residents of a certain state or applicants to specific schools. You’ll also find scholarships if you are a woman serving in the army (or the child of a military mom).

The Army Women’s Foundation Legacy Scholarship is a prime example. Applicants must be a woman who has served or is serving honorably in the U.S. Army, U.S. Army Reserve, Army National Guard. Or be the child of a woman who served honorably in the one of these branches.

Male vs Female Scholarships

Unless a scholarship has criteria that say otherwise, both men and women might apply. But some providers want to award aid for women and girls only. Female scholarships thus restrict applicants to persons who identify with the female gender.

To get this kind of financial help, you’ll thus go up against competitors that are other females. Though there may be other rules about eligibility. This might include showing financial need, a specific GPA, SAT/ACT scores, or talent.

Nonetheless, scholarships are gift money and may help you get the education you seek. Without the need to pay the money back the way you do in a loan. You do need to respect the conditions of the scholarship so make sure to read what these are.

What Types of Scholarships for Women and Girls Can You Apply for?

There are two kinds of scholarships that women might apply. One is need based. The other is based on merit. Need based scholarships look at your family finances. They often go to recipients who cannot afford college. Merit based scholarships are for students with good grades, high GPA and test scores.

Within these broad categories, there are scholarships for females of certain age ranges. Many providers also offer awards to help underserved groups of women. Or help women reach a specific degree level or career path. We’ll walk you through a few to give you an idea of how to streamline your search for the perfect scholarships.

How Do Women Get STEM Scholarships?

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) scholarships may be available through technology companies, such as Google, or association members. You may also find industry specific STEM scholarships when enrolled in full time study. Government organizations, such as the U.S. Department of Defense, also provide STEM scholarships.

One recent study shows women account for smaller shares of the STEM workforce. Luckily this means there are many STEM scholarships that women can apply to.

The Brookhaven Women in Science (BWIS) offers the Renate W. Chasman Scholarship. It consists of a one time $2,500 award. Applicants must be female graduate students at an accredited institution. They must also be performing STEM research at Brookhaven National Laboratory.

Since STEM comprises a few fields, there are lots of other options. If you prefer statistics, try applying for the Gertrude M. Cox Scholarship. They offer a $1,000 award to women studying statistics. It was established in 1989 to encourage more women to enter statistically oriented professions. Eligible applicants must submit an essay, transcript and application form.

You might also find scholarships through engineering associations. The Society for Women Engineers (SWE) offers many engineering scholarships to women in STEM. They often pair with a certain university with ABET accredited programs. There’s also the Houzz Women in Architecture Scholarship. This one supports next generation female architects and architectural engineers.

College Scholarships for Women

College bound women have a range of scholarships to choose from. It is a good idea to consider your career and study goals. This is because many providers want to pave the way for women to succeed in their industry.

Women in Public Finance Scholarship awards $3,000 to 10 eligible female students. Applicants need to have an interest in pursuing a public finance related career in finance, government, nonprofits or law.

Scholarships for Female Grad Students

There are many graduate scholarships for women. It all depends on what you want to study. Are you a business minded woman looking for an MBA scholarship? Wondering about law school scholarships for women? Use this to focus your search.

One to check out is the Jane M. Klausman (JMK) Women in Business Scholarship program. It helps women pursue undergraduate and master’s degrees in business management. The scholarship is also open to international female students.

Scholarships for Women over 40 and 50

Many scholarships are for women who want to change or advance a career or reenter the workforce. Scholarships for women over 40 make it possible to return to school without taking out huge loans.

One example is the Sophie Greenstadt Scholarship for Mid-life Women. It is for women age 35 and up living in the Greater Los Angeles area. You must also be entering or continuing a program to learn a marketable skill. One that will lead to economic self sufficiency.

Another option might be the Jeannette Rankin Women’s Scholarship Fund. It provides scholarships for low income women ages thirty five and older across the nation. Their goal is to improve lives through post secondary education.

Scholarships for Female High School Students

If you are a female high school student, there are scholarships available. Even if you don’t yet know what you will major in. One example is the 1,000 Dreams Scholarship Fund Recipients get money to pay for extracurricular activities, lessons, and conferences. Another is the P.E.O. Star Scholarship. It goes to girls in their senior year of high school. You need an unweighted 3.0 GPA and leadership skills to apply.

What Makes Scholarships for Women Unique?

Scholarships may help female students succeed in school and in their careers. One study found that women are 50% less likely to get help from their parents to finance their studies than men. But women make up the majority of college and university students. At last check, there were 19.9 million students enrolled in the U.S. colleges and universities. Of these, women accounted for 11.2 million.

This isn’t always the case in the workforce. Women are still breaking ground in traditionally male dominated areas. In fact, in recent years only 47% of full time wage and salary workers were women. The numbers shift depending on the field of employment. The good news is women ages 25 to 64 in the labor force are more educated than in the past 45 years. In 2016, 42% of women held a bachelor’s degree and higher, compared with 11% in 1970.

Many scholarship providers recognize these trends. They want to help women fulfill their dreams. For instance, there are many scholarships for women in computer science. Another area that women are breaking ground in.

Women Techmakers Scholars program offered through Google, the scholarship is in honor of Dr. Anita Borg. She spent her life trying to break down barriers. Ones that keep women and minorities from pursuing a tech focused career.

A Peek at Women in the Workforce

Career PathPercentage of Women Employed
Registered Nurses90%
Elementary and middle school teachers 79%
Accountants and auditors 61%
Management 52%
Life, physical, and social science occupations 42%
Physicians and surgeons 38%
Chief executives 27%
Computer and mathematical occupations 25%
Software developers 20%
Architecture and engineering occupations 14%

List of Scholarships for Women

Scholarships often provide a leg up for women at various stages of life and education. Whether you want to pursue a college degree after high school or return to college after a break.

Helen M. Clymer Scholarship

This award is available for U.S. undergraduate students who are residents of Berks County, Pennsylvania, and attend or plan to attend a two- or four-year college or university located in Berks County. Each applicant must be a single mother who has sole guardianship of one or more of her natural children; one or more of the children must be 17 years of age or younger.
Award Amount

Total: $2361

Awards: 6

Deadline

Deadline: March 15

Lois Livingston McMillen Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship is open to incoming and current female undergraduate students who reside in the Connecticut Community Foundation’s 21-town service area. Students must have a grade point average of B- (2.75) or higher, and must pursue an artistic career (preference to those pursuing painting and design).
Award Amount

Total: $2216

Awards: 3

Deadline

Deadline: March 15

Donald & Ruth Agnes Kaplan Memorial Scholarship Fund

This award is available for U.S. female high school seniors and adult students who are entering their freshman year of college who have been residents of one of the following Connecticut cities for the past four years: Cheshire, Naugatuck, Prospect, Waterbury, Watertown, or Woodbury. Students must attend an accredited college or university in New York, the New England states, or Israel; major in a health-related field; and have a grade point average of B- or higher.
Award Amount

Total: $2216

Awards: 3

Deadline

Deadline: March 15

Waterbury Women’s Club Scholarship Fund

This award is available for U.S. high school seniors and adult students who are entering their freshman year that reside in the Connecticut Community Foundation’s 21-town service area. Students must plan to major in nursing and have a grade point average of B- or higher.
Award Amount

Total: $2216

Awards: 3

Deadline

Deadline: March 15

Naomi Mildred Nicoll Scholarship Fund

This award is available for U.S. female undergraduate students who graduate from Litchfield or Wamogo high schools in Litchfield, Connecticut, and reside in Litchfield, Warren, Morris, or Goshen, Connecticut. Each applicant must be the daughter of a single, working mother who cannot otherwise afford college, and must have a grade point average of B- (2.75) or higher.
Award Amount

Total: $2216

Awards: 3

Deadline

Deadline: March 15

Gertrude B. Elion Mentored Medical Student Research Award

U.S. female medical students who have an interest in health-related research are eligible for this award. Students must have completed one or more years of medical school and plan to conduct research at Duke University Medical Center or UNC at Chapel Hill School of Medicine.
Award Amount

Total: $10000

Awards: 1

Deadline

Deadline: March 15

Marie J. Della Bella Scholarship Fund

This scholarship is open to female U.S. high school seniors and adult students entering their freshman year who reside in the Connecticut Community Foundation’s 21-town service area. Students must have a grade point average of B- or higher, and pursue a career in the field of law.
Award Amount

Total: $2216

Awards: 3

Deadline

Deadline: March 15

Women of Distinction Network’s Scholarship

This scholarship is available for undergraduate women in South Carolina who have demonstrated a positive impact in their communities.
Award Amount

Total: $350

Awards: 5

Deadline

Deadline: March 16

Vivian Winston Scholarship

This award is available for single mothers residing in Spokane Washington. Applicants must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and plan to enroll full time in an undergraduate program at Spokane Community College, Spokane Falls Community College, or Eastern Washington University.
Award Amount

Total: $2000

Awards: 5

Deadline

Deadline: March 18

Shipley Rose Buckner Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship is open to U.S. female students who are enrolled in, or have been accepted to, an ABFSE-accredited mortuary science program. Students may enroll full or part time.
Award Amount

Total: $2500

Awards: 2

Deadline

Deadline: March 30