President Obama Urges Mothers To Go Back To School - $10,000 Scholarships Await Those Who Apply

The Scholarships for Moms Program has been talked about a lot in the media and has been widely attributed to the President's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  ARRA has increased funding to grants, loans, and scholarships while opening eligibility to more students.

A good portion of the funding changes are aimed at increasing the funding and eligibility of Pell Grants (the most common form of federal financial aid).  During the 09-10 school-year, a student would max out at $5,350 in tuition dollars.  For the 10-11 school-year, students can get up to $5,500.

Pell grants are tuition grant awards designed to assist those with the lowest incomes.  Primarily aimed at those who make $20,000 a year or less, eligibility standards do allow for families making up to $50,000 a year.  How much of those tuition dollars a student gets is based on the "expected family contribution" (EFC).  Pell grants are only available to undergraduate students for a maximum lifetime limit of 18 semesters.

Eligibility is not based on race or gender but does require the applicant to have a high school diploma or a GED.  It also requires parents of students under the age of 24 to apply on their child's behalf.  The only exceptions are if the student is married, in the military, a grad student, or a ward of the state.

Pell grants and other federal financial aids are applied for through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (fafsa) found in most university financial aid offices.  Money is in a limited supply, so it is best to get a jump on this tuition option.

Once the Pell Grant is secured, students should investigate other funding opportunities, such as scholarships.  There are many scholarships available through the private sector.  The trick is to find them.

Many scholarships can be found online.  Run a simple keyword search on eligibility criteria (i.e. gender, race, religion, or nationality).  Investigate to see if there are any scholarships based on academic fields through guilds and unions.

Visit college and university campuses.  Many scholarships are given by these institutions themselves.

Check with local professional, civic, and social organizations.  Many prefer to invest in the community by educating the local work force.

Just leave no stone unturned.  It's a lot of work, but the benefits last a lifetime.

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**Update** Did you know you can get a $10,000 scholarship for Moms just for registering? Apply right now for free: Scholarships for Moms