Less than 50 years ago women were discouraged from entering the workplace, going to college, or deviating from their traditional role in the home. Times have changed since then, but many women still struggle to get the same educational opportunities as their male counterparts due to familial responsibilities, cultural norms or lingering discrimination in certain fields of study. Women can get some help in their quest for knowledge, however, in the form of many grants and awards offered through the government and some private organizations.

The great majority of grants available to women are designed to help those who cannot manage to pay for college on their own because they are raising children, have been victims of abuse or are financially disadvantaged. Women who want to apply for these and other grants will need proof of their financial need and in some cases will need to provide records that show their academic history and community involvement.

Women can find assistance through government programs like WISP, which provide grants to women who are recovering from abuse and addiction or through other grant programs directed at those with financial need. Perhaps one of the biggest sources of financial aid to women is the colleges and universities they choose to attend. Many women’s colleges will offer incoming students financial support both at the undergraduate and graduate level based on financial need and merit.

Those who are entering a field that has been traditionally male dominated might also be able to get grants through professional organizations for engineers, accountants, nurses, lawyers, healthcare professionals and technology experts. In an attempt to draw more female interest to these fields, many of these organizations offer generous scholarships to female students who show potential.

College Grants for Women

• ABAFAZI-AFRICANA Women’s Studies Essay Award: $400 awarded each year as essay prize to 2 female African American undergraduate or graduate students.
• AARP Foundation Women‘s Scholarship Program: Varied amounts to women over 40 who want to return to school.
• Ann Arbor AWC Grant for Women in Computing: Varied amounts are given to Michigan women enrolled in a computer science or technology program.
• Association for Women in Science Fellowships: $1,000 to female for college sophomores and juniors studying physics or geoscience.
• The Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund : Grants in varying amounts to women in developing countries.