Grants and Scholarships for Single Moms (2026 Guide)
Single moms are a major part of today’s college population, not a tiny side category. National student-aid data show that student parents make up about 18% of undergraduates, women are the large majority of student parents, and a substantial share are single mothers. Research also shows that child-care costs and family responsibilities make degree completion harder for student parents than for nonparents.
That is why the smartest strategy is to start with grant money and school-based aid before chasing private scholarships. The 2026–27 FAFSA is already open, the maximum Pell Grant is currently $7,395 for 2026–27, and campus-based aid like FSEOG and CCAMPIS can make a real difference for low-income student parents.
Important note for readers: very few awards are labeled “single moms only.” The most accurate way to help single mothers is to include verified programs for single moms, single parents, student parents, women returning to school, and mothers who are the primary financial support for their families. I sorted this list by the month you should act. Rolling and year-round programs are placed in January so readers tackle them first.
Top 30 Grants and Scholarships for Single Moms
January: Start Here First
1) Federal Pell Grant
Why It Slaps: This is the first application every single mom should think about because Pell is often the largest chunk of free federal aid on the table. It does not need to be repaid, and it can stack with state aid, campus aid, and private scholarships. For low-income student parents, Pell is often the foundation that makes every other funding plan possible.
Amount: Up to $7,395 for 2026–27.
Deadline: File the 2026–27 FAFSA as early as possible.
Apply/info: Official Pell Grant page
2) Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
Why It Slaps: FSEOG is one of the best overlooked grants for single moms because it is designed for undergraduates with exceptional financial need. Unlike many private scholarships, it is tied to your aid package and can arrive without a separate essay contest or outside committee. The catch is that schools have limited campus-based funds, so early FAFSA filing matters a lot.
Amount: Varies by school and financial need.
Deadline: No single national deadline; file the FAFSA as early as possible because campus funds are limited.
Apply/info: Official FSEOG info page
3) CCAMPIS Child Care Support
Why It Slaps: For many single moms, child care is the real tuition bill hiding behind the tuition bill. CCAMPIS is important because it supports campus-based child-care help for low-income parents, and that can be just as powerful as a cash scholarship. If a student parent can solve child-care logistics, staying enrolled becomes much more realistic.
Amount: Varies by college and program.
Deadline: Varies by campus; ask your college now.
Apply/info: Official CCAMPIS program page
4) Generations College Single Parent Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is one of the strongest institution-based options on the board because it is built specifically for Pell-eligible single parents. The program is designed to help cover the remaining tuition balance after grant funding, which means it works well as a real gap-filler instead of a tiny symbolic award. For eligible students, that makes it much more practical than many one-time scholarships.
Amount: Up to $3,500 per semester.
Deadline: Rolling / varies by admissions and aid cycle.
Apply/info: Official scholarship page
5) Wilson College Single Parent Scholars Program
Why It Slaps: This program stands out because it is not just a scholarship line on a website. It is a structured support program for student parents pursuing a bachelor’s degree while raising children. That mix of academics, family fit, and institution-level support can matter more than a one-time small award, especially for mothers trying to stay enrolled over multiple years.
Amount: Varies by program support and aid package.
Deadline: Varies by admissions cycle.
Apply/info: Official program page
6) Champlain College Single Parent Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is a smart regional option for Vermont student parents because it is designed specifically for single parents in the college’s support program. Narrow regional scholarships are often less crowded than giant national awards, which gives eligible applicants a better shot. For a single mom in Vermont, this is exactly the kind of focused school-based money worth chasing early.
Amount: Varies.
Deadline: Varies by college cycle.
Apply/info: Official scholarship page
7) EMU Women’s Resource Center Student Parent Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is a practical student-parent award because it is built around real need, not just prestige language. Even though the dollar amount is modest, smaller campus-based scholarships can be easier to win and often arrive faster than large national programs. For a single mom balancing classes, rent, and child care, a smaller award can still be the difference between stopping out and staying in.
Amount: $250 to $1,000.
Deadline: Applications are reviewed bi-monthly during each semester.
Apply/info: Official EMU resource page
8) P.E.O. Program for Continuing Education
Why It Slaps: This is one of the best national options for women whose education was interrupted, which makes it a natural fit for many single moms returning to school after work, caregiving, or family changes. It is need-based, focused, and meant for women who are serious about finishing a credential rather than casually browsing scholarships. That returning-to-school angle makes it much more relevant than generic “women in college” awards.
Amount: Up to $4,000.
Deadline: The current cycle is listed as January 1 through December 31, 2026.
Apply/info: Official P.E.O. page
February Deadlines
9) Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund (ASPSF)
Why It Slaps: This is one of the clearest true single-parent scholarship programs in the country. It is built around the actual life barriers student parents face, and the organization explicitly structures award amounts by enrollment level, which makes it useful for moms attending part time or full time. For Arkansas single parents, this is a must-check scholarship, not a maybe.
Amount: $400, $800, $1,200, or $1,600 depending on credit load.
Deadline: February 1 for spring; other terms have separate deadlines.
Apply/info: Official scholarship page
10) ANSWER Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This award is tailored to women who are older students and primary caregivers, which makes it one of the best targeted scholarships for single moms in the Carolinas. It is renewable, not just a one-off prize, and the published yearly range is strong enough to matter for real tuition bills. That combination of mission fit and renewable support gives it serious value.
Amount: About $2,750 per year for qualifying 2-year programs and $5,500 per year for qualifying 4-year programs.
Deadline: February 28 each year.
Apply/info: Official application page
11) Joe & Dorothy Conger Single Mom Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is exactly the kind of smaller, targeted scholarship single moms should not ignore. It is narrow, community-based, and specifically designed for single mothers with minor children, which usually means a more realistic applicant pool than a giant national scholarship. If you fit the school and regional eligibility, this can be a high-value application.
Amount: Varies.
Deadline: February 28, 2026.
Apply/info: Current scholarship page
12) Jeannette Rankin National Scholar Grant
Why It Slaps: This grant is a strong fit for older women and nonbinary adults going after a first associate or bachelor’s degree. Many single moms fall right into that returning-adult-student profile, especially if they delayed college while raising children. The application is mission-driven and need-aware, which makes it more useful than random merit scholarships that ignore adult learners’ realities.
Amount: Up to $2,500.
Deadline: February 13, 2026 for the current posted cycle.
Apply/info: Official grant page
13) Jeannette Rankin Emerge Grant
Why It Slaps: This is another excellent adult-learner option, especially for eligible applicants in Georgia and Montana. State- or region-limited grants are often easier to win than national awards because the applicant pool is smaller and better matched. For single moms in those eligible states, this is the kind of specialized grant that deserves priority.
Amount: Up to $2,500.
Deadline: February 13, 2026 for the current posted cycle.
Apply/info: Official grant page
March Deadlines
14) Aims Community College Single Parent Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This award is built for custodial single parents pursuing a certificate or associate degree, which makes it a very practical fit for career-focused students. Community-college scholarships can be especially powerful for single moms because they often pair better with local schedules, transfer routes, and lower tuition. For eligible Aims students, this is a strong targeted option.
Amount: Varies.
Deadline: March 1, 2026.
Apply/info: Current scholarship page
15) Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Northwest Arkansas
Why It Slaps: This is one of the better regional single-parent programs because it clearly publishes award amounts by enrollment level and even distinguishes between degree and workforce scholarship tracks. That makes it useful for single moms who are not following a standard full-time bachelor’s path. Flexible local scholarships like this often match real adult-student life better than national awards do.
Amount: Degree-track awards of about $1,250 to $2,500 per term, depending on enrollment level; workforce awards may also be available.
Deadline: March 15 for summer, June 15 for fall, and October 15 for spring.
Apply/info: Official scholarship page
April Deadlines
16) Poynter Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is one of the better national scholarship-hosted options because it is explicitly aimed at single-parent students with school-aged children. The total pool is large enough to matter, and the eligibility is direct rather than vague. If you want a current national application with a clear deadline and real money behind it, this is a serious contender.
Amount: $10,000 total, with 5 winners receiving $2,000 each.
Deadline: April 1, 2026.
Apply/info: Official scholarship page
17) Law Family Single Parent Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This scholarship stands out because the award size is strong and the eligibility is clearly focused on single parents in Kentucky and Indiana. Geographic limits can work in your favor because they reduce competition and make the applicant pool more relevant. For eligible single moms in those states, this is one of the more valuable private scholarships currently open.
Amount: $10,000 total, with 2 winners receiving $5,000 each.
Deadline: April 10, 2026.
Apply/info: Official scholarship page
18) Barbara Rose Herman Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is a smaller scholarship, but it is sharply targeted to single mothers at Worcester State University, which makes it much more realistic for eligible students than a national lottery-style award. Smaller campus-based scholarships often get skipped because applicants chase big names first. That is exactly why they can be worth applying for.
Amount: Up to $750.
Deadline: April 15, 2026.
Apply/info: Current scholarship page
May Deadlines
19) Washington State BPW Foundation Single Parent Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is a clean fit for women in Washington who are returning to school as single parents. State-focused scholarships like this can be much less crowded than national awards, and they often exist precisely because local organizations understand the barriers facing adult students and mothers. That makes it a smart, realistic application for eligible Washington residents.
Amount: Up to $1,500.
Deadline: May 1, 2026.
Apply/info: Current scholarship page
20) Altrusa International of Lake City Endowed Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is a focused local scholarship for female single mothers at Florida Gateway College, and that local focus is a strength. The narrower the eligibility, the better your odds can get if you match it exactly. For single moms in Columbia County, Florida, this is the kind of scholarship that belongs near the top of the list.
Amount: Varies.
Deadline: May 1, 2026.
Apply/info: Current scholarship page
21) Cornerstone Young Women’s Learning Center Endowed Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This scholarship is valuable because it directly recognizes young mothers, including pregnant students and single mothers, instead of pretending family responsibilities do not exist. It is also tied to financial need and student-support categories, which makes it a realistic fit for students building a comeback story. For eligible Waubonsee students, it is a strong application.
Amount: Up to $1,600.
Deadline: May 4, 2026.
Apply/info: Current scholarship page
22) Jane Whinfrey Harris Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is a useful scholarship because it is aimed at nontraditional single mothers with financial need, which is a far better fit for many adult women than standard freshmen-only awards. It also lives inside a college scholarship system, which often means the application process is more grounded and less gimmicky than public contest-based sites.
Amount: Up to $1,000.
Deadline: May 4, 2026.
Apply/info: Official scholarship page
23) Organic Formula Shop Single Parent Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is a current national scholarship with a straightforward single-parent focus and a respectable award amount. It is not tied to one school or one state, which makes it useful for readers who need broader eligibility. When a scholarship is both specific in mission and open across institutions, it is usually worth the time.
Amount: $2,000.
Deadline: May 9, 2026.
Apply/info: Official scholarship page
24) Minority Single Mother Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is one of the stronger private awards on the list because the published amount is meaningful and the eligibility is built around low-income minority single mothers. It is also unusual in that it reaches across education levels, including high school, undergraduate, and graduate students. That makes it a flexible option for mothers at very different stages of the education pipeline.
Amount: $7,500.
Deadline: May 23, 2026.
Apply/info: Current scholarship page
25) Colwell Law 2026 Single Parent Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This scholarship is a good example of a smaller legal-organization award that still deserves attention because the eligibility is broad enough to include undergraduates, graduate students, law students, and even high school seniors entering college. For single moms who want one more credible application in the spring cycle, this is a solid add.
Amount: $1,000.
Deadline: May 31, 2026.
Apply/info: Official scholarship page
July Deadlines
26) Moms on the Rise (MoThR) Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This scholarship is especially useful because it focuses on young mothers rather than older returning students only. Teen moms and very young mothers often fall through the cracks between youth scholarships and adult-learner scholarships, so this fills a real gap. For eligible applicants in Washington or Oregon, it is one of the most relevant summer opportunities on the board.
Amount: $3,600 total, with 2 winners receiving $1,800 each.
Deadline: July 31, 2026.
Apply/info: Official scholarship page
November Deadlines
27) Soroptimist Live Your Dream Awards
Why It Slaps: This is one of the best-known and most genuinely relevant awards for women supporting families. It is built for women who are the primary financial support for themselves and their dependents, and the award can be used for tuition, books, transportation, or child care. For many single moms, that flexibility is exactly what makes this program so powerful.
Amount: Club-level awards typically begin around $1,000, and finalists can receive more, with published potential support of up to $16,000 across levels.
Deadline: November 15 each year.
Apply/info: Official apply page
28) Jennifer Johnson-Duke Single Parent Women’s Endowed Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is another good school-based scholarship because it is aimed directly at single mothers rather than the broader “nontraditional student” category. Highly targeted campus awards are often easier to match and easier to explain in an application because your life story clearly fits the mission. For eligible students at Florida State College at Jacksonville, this is worth serious attention.
Amount: Varies.
Deadline: November 30, 2026.
Apply/info: Current scholarship page
December Deadlines
29) Herstory Single Parent Scholarship
Why It Slaps: This is a modest award, but it is sharply focused on single parents in community college, which makes it more relevant than a generic scholarship many student moms will never realistically win. Community-college students are often overlooked in public scholarship marketing, so targeted awards like this matter more than their size suggests.
Amount: $500.
Deadline: December 19, 2026.
Apply/info: Current scholarship page
30) Lincoln Tech Single Parent Scholarship Program
Why It Slaps: This is a practical career-training option for single parents who are pursuing workforce education instead of a traditional four-year path. That matters because many single moms need shorter, job-focused programs that can raise earnings faster. If you are considering technical education, this is one of the more relevant scholarship paths to check.
Amount: Varies by campus/program.
Deadline: Eligible students must enroll before December 31, 2026 and complete the required financial-aid steps.
Apply/info: Official scholarship page
Best Strategy for Single Moms Applying in 2026
Single moms usually do best when they build aid in layers instead of hunting one miracle scholarship. The strongest order is: FAFSA first, then Pell/FSEOG/campus child-care help, then school-based student-parent awards, then private scholarships. That approach matches how real aid systems work and gives applicants the highest odds of getting money that actually lands in time for enrollment.
A second smart move is to stop thinking only in terms of “single mom scholarships.” Many of the best-fit programs are labeled as student parent, single parent, women returning to school, or primary breadwinner awards. Search the scholarship office at your college under those terms too, because many highly relevant awards are hidden under different naming. This is an inference drawn from how current verified programs are actually published across colleges and foundations.
Finally, single moms should not underestimate small local awards. A $500 or $1,000 scholarship with a realistic applicant pool can be more useful than a giant national award with impossible odds. In practice, many of the most relevant opportunities in this category are regional, school-based, or mission-specific rather than flashy national names.
Quick WordPress Note
Some colleges and organizations publish their current live scholarship pages through their own site, while others use a live scholarship-host page for the active listing. In every case above, the Apply/info line points to a specific scholarship or program page, not a generic article page.
