There are many avenues of scholarships for single moms, the government has recently increased it's budget for funding education of the marginalized population. Non profit organizations are also helping single mothers to achieve their dream of higher education.
Government and private scholarships for single moms are geared towards helping this disadvantaged population get a higher education to better care for, and support their families. Single moms have an added responsibility of caring for their children and also financially supporting the family. Many a times, this can be a daunting task especially if the mother does not have adequate education for gainful employment. The Obama administration realized the need of good education and increased the funding of federal education grants and scholarships like the Pell grants. Hence, these government grants are popularly termed as Obama scholarships for single moms.

Along with the government there are several Non Profit Organizations (NPOs) working towards women empowerment who offer scholarships for single moms going back to school and college. The financial reward received in the form of a scholarship need not be repaid. Hence, it is the most viable option for many single mothers contemplating education.

Government Scholarships and Grants

The government has set aside billions of dollars in the form of education grants from the 787 billion dollar American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Most of these single mother grants and scholarships are need based and serve individuals from low income families. One of the basic criteria for applying for government education grants is filling the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Some of the government scholarships and grants for single moms are given below and for more detailed info you can access the federal education aid website.

Pell Grant
The federal Pell grant amount depends on the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of the applicant, the maximum financial reward under this grant for the year 2010-11 was USD 5,500. These college scholarships for single moms are for students from low income families who want to pursue under graduate programs.

Academic Competitiveness Grant
The grant amount available under the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) is USD 750 for the first year and USD 1,300 for the second year of undergraduate study. Recipients of the Pell Grant are eligible for this scholarships for single moms in college, also some other eligibility criteria is applicable.

SMART Grant
The financial reward under this scholarships for women program can go upto USD 4,000 for each of the third and fourth year of undergraduate study program. The amount is also applicable for the fifth year of study of a five year program. To be eligible for the National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National Smart Grant) you should have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 for the second year of your study.

TEACH Grant
The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant offers USD 4,000 for eligible students. These single mother scholarships require the recipient to teach at least four semesters in a school serving students from low income families.

Nursing Scholarship
Identifying the shortage in the nursing profession the US Department of Health and Human Services provides federal funding for over 100 nursing colleges and universities. This program gives nursing scholarships for single moms across America. There are many private organizations that offer scholarships for mothers looking to pursue an education in nursing.

Non Profit Organization Scholarships

There are several non profit organizations dedicated to woman's cause that offer scholarships for single moms returning to school and college. These organizations believe that empowering a woman with education will help her better care for herself and her family. Some of the scholarships for single mothers are:

The Women's Independence Scholarship Program
This program helps a target audience, women who have been the victims of domestic violence. These scholarships for single moms going back to school were created way back in 1999 and have been helping women ever since.

Jeannette Rankin Foundation
This scholarships for single working moms from low income families who are 35 years of age or older has helped women across America get a good education. Eligibility criteria for these college grants for single moms is US citizenship and pursuing technical, vocation, associated degree or bachelors degree program.

If you are looking for scholarships for single moms the first thing to do is to contact the financial aid office of a college near you, most of them will have a counselor who will guide you regarding the available educational aid plans. Another resource for single mother grants is the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG).