Scholarships for Working Mothers: 7 to Apply For in 2026
Scholarships for working mothers you never repay: 7 awards up to $16,000, plus the $5,250 tax-free tuition help your employer can give. Part-time and online OK.
Reviewed by
Subha
Published
Feb 23, 2026
Last Reviewed
Jun 10, 2026
Click to zoomA focused mother studies on a laptop and tablet at home while her two kids play behind her, the balance scholarships for working mothers help support.
Working a job and raising kids while trying to finish a degree is a brutal balancing act. Here is the good news: a lot of scholarships were built for exactly that. Working moms, adult learners, and part-time students have their own lane, and the competition is thinner than for traditional awards.
This guide covers the scholarships made for working mothers, the employer benefit most moms never claim, and how to apply when you barely have a spare hour. All figures verified June 2026.
| Headline figure | What it covers | Source |
|---|---|---|
| $16,000 | top Soroptimist Live Your Dream award for women who support a family | Soroptimist, 2026 |
| $5,250 | tax-free education help your employer can give you each year under IRS Section 127 | IRS, 2026 |
| $0 | what a scholarship costs you, it is a gift you never repay | Federal Student Aid, 2026 |
| Part-time | most working-mom awards accept part-time and online study, not just full-time | Scholarships360, 2026 |
What to know first
- Scholarships are not loans. The money is a gift you never repay
- Working against you? Actually the opposite. Many awards target adult and nontraditional learners
- Ask your employer first. Up to $5,250 a year in tuition help can be tax-free
- Part-time and online count. Most of these awards do not require full-time enrollment
- Reuse one essay. A single strong “why I am doing this” story adapts to almost every application
Why do working moms have an edge in scholarships?
Because a whole category of awards exists just for adult and nontraditional students, and working moms fit it perfectly (Scholarships360, 2026). Many traditional scholarships assume an 18-year-old full-time student. The ones below assume you have a job, kids, and limited time.
That focus shrinks your competition. When an award requires you to be a working parent, most applicants are screened out before you even apply.
Better still, most accept part-time and online study, so you do not have to quit your job to qualify. The trick is knowing which awards are built for your life, then reusing one good essay across all of them.
What scholarships are built for working mothers?
These awards specifically target working moms, adult learners, and parents balancing a job with school (Soroptimist, 2026). Amounts run from $1,000 to $16,000. Note each deadline and start your documents early.
Soroptimist Live Your Dream Awards
The biggest award here, made for women who are the primary financial support for their family. That describes most working single moms. You apply through a local club and can advance to regional and international funding.
- Award: up to $16,000
- Deadline: November 15 (opens August 1)
- Apply: soroptimist.org, through a local club
Jennifer Gephart Memorial Working Mothers Scholarship
Built by name for working mothers balancing family and school. It rewards moms who show real dedication to both, across high school, college, and graduate study.
- Award: up to $3,000
- Deadline: May 11
- Apply: via Going Merry
Tracey Johnson-Webb Adult Learners Scholarship
Made for students 40 and older who work full-time while parenting. If you put off school for years and are coming back now, this one fits your exact situation.
- Award: $2,500
- Deadline: August 1
- Apply: via Going Merry
Return2College Scholarship
For nontraditional students coming back after a break, including work-at-home parents. It accepts part-time, full-time, on-campus, and online study, and the application is short.
- Award: $1,000
- Deadline: September 30
- Apply: short essay, “why are you getting your degree?”
Poynter Scholarship
For working single parents pursuing their own degree while raising school-age kids. Open to part-time and online students, undergraduate or graduate, with a 2.8 GPA minimum.
- Award: up to $2,000
- Deadline: April 2
- Apply: on Bold.org
P.E.O. Program for Continuing Education
A need-based grant for women whose education was interrupted and who are within 18 months of finishing. It suits working moms returning to wrap up a degree they started years ago.
- Award: up to $4,000 (one-time, need-based)
- Eligibility: 24+ months as a non-student, within 18 months of finishing
- Apply: through a local P.E.O. chapter
Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Award
For low-income mothers in a first degree or technical training. Five awards a year, judged on your personal story, which favors moms juggling work, kids, and class.
- Award: up to $5,000 (five awards yearly)
- Deadline: August 1
- Apply: patsyminkfoundation.org
Over 30 or returning after a long gap? More age-specific awards live in our guide to scholarships for single moms over 30. For the full national list, see our scholarships for single moms hub.
Will your employer help pay for your degree?
Quite possibly, and it is the most overlooked money on this page. Under IRS Section 127, an employer can give you up to $5,250 a year in education assistance completely tax-free (IRS, 2026). Many companies offer it and few employees ever ask.
- Ask HR directly: request the tuition reimbursement or education assistance policy in writing
- Know the tax break: up to $5,250 per year is tax-free to you under Section 127
- Check the strings: some plans require a passing grade or a year of continued employment after
- Stack it: employer help plus a scholarship plus a Pell Grant can cover most of your bill
- Look beyond tuition: some employers also reimburse books, fees, or certification exams
Are there awards for nursing and MBA paths?
Yes, and career-specific awards often have less competition than open ones (AACN, 2026). If you are a working mom training for nursing or business, target the field directly.
- Nursing: the AACN scholarship page lists awards for students balancing family and clinical training
- Jennifer D. Hale Memorial Scholarship: up to $1,000 for mothers majoring in nursing
- MBA for women: many business programs and women-in-business groups fund moms pursuing an MBA part-time
- Professional associations: your field’s national association almost always runs a scholarship fund
What grants can working moms get on top of scholarships?
Federal and state grants stack right on top, and they start with one FAFSA (Federal Student Aid, 2026). The Pell Grant alone runs up to $7,395 for 2026-27 and never has to be repaid.
Because grants are need-based, many working moms still qualify once deductions are counted. Our guide to education grants for single moms covers Pell, FSEOG, and TEACH, and the Pell Grant guide shows how to file.
One more for working parents: CCAMPIS funds subsidized on-campus childcare while you study, so ask your college if it has active funding.
How do you apply for scholarships while working full-time?
Treat it like a small project with a system, because time is your scarcest resource (Scholarships360, 2026). These steps keep the effort low and the odds high.
- Search nontraditional filters: on Fastweb, Scholarships.com, and Bold.org, flag “adult learner” and “working parent”
- Write one core essay: a single “why I am finishing my degree” story you adapt per award
- Block 30 minutes weekly: apply to one or two awards per week instead of cramming
- Keep documents in one folder: transcripts, proof of parenthood, income, and references, ready to attach
- Ask your employer in parallel: start the tuition-assistance request while scholarships are pending
How do you avoid scholarship scams?
A real scholarship never charges a fee, so any “award” that wants payment is a scam (FTC, 2026). Busy working moms are a favorite target, so screen before you share details.
- Never pay to apply: no legitimate scholarship has an entry or processing fee
- Be wary of “guaranteed” money: sweepstakes-style “mom scholarships” often just harvest your contact data
- Protect your details: a real award never needs your bank login or a payment to “release” funds
- Verify the sponsor: search the name plus “scam” and confirm a real organization runs it
FAQs: scholarships for working mothers
Are there scholarships specifically for working mothers?
Yes. Awards like the Jennifer Gephart Memorial Working Mothers Scholarship, the Tracey Johnson-Webb Adult Learners Scholarship, and the Poynter Scholarship are built for moms balancing a job with school. Because eligibility is narrow, fewer people apply, which raises your odds of winning.
Can I get a scholarship if I only study part-time?
Yes. Most scholarships made for working mothers accept part-time and online study, including Return2College and the Poynter Scholarship. Always check each award’s rules, but the assumption that you must be full-time is outdated for adult-learner and working-parent awards.
Will my employer really pay for my degree?
Often, yes. Under IRS Section 127, employers can provide up to $5,250 a year in tuition help tax-free, and many do. Ask your HR department for the education-assistance or tuition-reimbursement policy. It is the most overlooked funding source for working moms.
Do scholarships for working mothers have to be repaid?
No. Scholarships are gift aid you never repay, the same as grants. Only loans must be paid back. That is why you should claim scholarships, employer help, and grants first, then borrow only what is left, if anything at all.
How do I find time to apply while working?
Build a system. Write one strong core essay, keep your documents in a single folder, and block 30 minutes a week to submit one or two applications. Spreading the work across weeks beats trying to do everything the night before a deadline.
- Soroptimist International. “Live Your Dream Awards,” award amount and eligibility. soroptimist.org (retrieved 2026-06-10)
- Internal Revenue Service. “Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education,” Section 127 employer assistance limit. irs.gov (retrieved 2026-06-10)
- Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation. “Education Support Award,” amount and eligibility. patsyminkfoundation.org (retrieved 2026-06-10)
- Federal Student Aid. “Types of Grants,” Pell maximum for 2026-27. studentaid.gov (retrieved 2026-06-10)
- American Association of Colleges of Nursing. “Student Scholarships.” aacnnursing.org (retrieved 2026-06-10)
- Federal Trade Commission. “Government Grant Scams,” fee-fraud warning. consumer.ftc.gov (retrieved 2026-06-10)
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Reviewed by Subha
Psychologist and writer covering the topics that matter most to single moms, money, mental health, and the small daily rituals that keep a family running. Every article is research-backed and edited four times before publish.
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