Although bad economic news may make it seem like this is a bad time for single mothers to return to the classroom, that simply is not true. Women all over America are seeking the help of the federal government through educational grants and loans. Here are a few of those.

Pell Grants

These grants are about to be expanded for low income students. In fact, this was the first bill the president introduced in the beginning of his administration. It will bring the maximum allowable Pell grant from $4,050 to $5,100. President Obama is working hard to bring it up to $5,400. The extended Pell Grant is one of the best single mom’s government grants for college.

Tax Credit Programs

Single mothers should also consider educational tax credit. For instance, The American Opportunity Tax Credit program is designed to make sure that the first $4,000 of any American’s higher education is free. This program will accept the prior year’s tax return and will require 100 hours of community service in exchange for the advantage.

How Do I Get a Grant?

The first thing you have to do is choose a college, then fill out a federal FAFSA form. If you want to make sure you apply for all the scholarships and grants available to you as a single mother, you might want to check out scholarship services that will help match you to your ideal grant.

I Don’t Have Time for Traditional Classes–Are There Grants for Me?

You can still get Pell Grants and many others if you cannot attend classes in a traditional setting. Online colleges are also included in the federal aid programs. If you are in doubt, check with a scholarship matching program and see first what you qualify for, and next what kinds of programs it covers.

It may surprise you how much money is out there for you. Not only that, more funds may be available as time goes one. Keep your eye on the news for word of scholarship and grant advances from the Obama administration, and by all means get out there and start applying for your program of choice.

Many people don’t realize that you can obtain college scholarships, grants and student loans for accredited online degree programs, just like traditional on campus programs. In fact, there are grants and scholarships for single mom’s and working mothers, too.

The process is the same, you have to file the Federal Student Aid FAFSA form that most schools and scholarship granting entities use to determine need.  Although not all scholarships and grants are based on need, you should still file the FAFSA to find every dollar for which you qualify and are entitled.

One really great way to find all the financial aid programs for which you may qualify is to use a scholarship/grant matching service such as FastWeb.com. These matching services can help you find grants and scholarships all in one place, rather than having to research each school and each separate entity.  You probably qualify for more than you think, so get started now!

Heading Back to School? – Don’t forget to find scholarships for college at FastWeb.com

Want to go back to school and earn on online college degree?  Are you a single mom who doesn’t have sufficient funding to earn your degree?  If so, you will be glad to know that there is help out there for you!

There are free grants and scholarships for single mothers.  You just have to do your homework, and research the available funding sources.  Here is some advice as to how to find these opportunities if you are a single mom looking to improve your future:

1. Start with the school at which you are interested in obtaining your degree. Request information from more than one school, and ask if they have scholarship or grants for single mothers or women in general.  Contact the schools financial aid office.
2. Compile the necessary financial documentation (income tax returns, etc.). Check out the helpful list located at www.fafsa.ed.gov/before001.htm.
3. Complete the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). This step opens the door for virtually all types of financial aid including the Pell Grant, Cal Grant, scholarships and low interest student loans.
4. Sometimes the best place to look for a college scholarship or grant is in your own backyard. Local groups, clubs, businesses, churches, and organizations are all potential sources for scholarships and grants. Usually, these types of scholarships are not widely publicized, so you may need to do more legwork to find them; however, that means fewer applicants and higher odds of winning.
5. Don’t be afraid to try a free scholarship matching service.  Schloarship matching services such as ScholarshipExperts or FastWeb.com are two examples of great online sources to help you find the financial aid you need.  You complete a questionnaire and they search their database of all scholarship and grant funding sources to match you with the ones for which you may qualify.  It can save you a lot of time.  FreeScholarshipGuide offers a guide that you can download for free, and FreeSchoarshipGuide offers a Bi-Annual $5000 Scholarship Contest

Remember, it’s never too late to continue your education.   Apply for grants and scholarships to make a brighter future for yourself and your children.