Women Minority College Grants

In the last 30 years women have made massive strides in higher education. Three decades ago seats in college classrooms were mainly occupied by men. The 1980’s saw the tides begin to really turn for women. Currently, men make up only 42% of the college population. Women have come a long way baby!

Minority women and women that choose to pursue non-traditional female careers are not adequately funded or represented. The most lucrative degree programs are still completely dominated by men.

Once you make the decision that you want to apply for a grant for minority women, you must take time to gather financial documents. Careful documentation of financial records will improve your chance of receiving the most women minority college grants. Also, applicants that apply before January 1 stand the greatest chance of receiving the maximum number of grants. You will need to be prepared to show the following documents: social security card, W-2 forms, driver’s license, federal income tax return, and your parent’s income tax return if you are a dependent student. A copy of bank statements may also be needed. Foreign students will need your alien registration number and permanent residence card. Students will need to fill out the F.A.S.A. application and send in to the federal education agency. This form determines financial ability to pay and will dictate what awards you can get.

Women Minority College Grants can generally be obtained through the following sources: federal and state government, college and university campuses, and public and private organizations. In response to No Child Left Behind Legislation, the Federal Government has increased funding for women minorities. The increased number of women graduating from high school increases the number of minority women wanting to attend college.

State governments have funds allocated specifically for minority women with certain academic performance standards and for women pursuing certain degree subjects. A good place to start looking for grants for minority women is your school office of financial assistance.

There are millions of dollars set aside every year to help minority women go to college. The most efficient way to seek out grants is to focus on certain key areas. In fact, the major you plan to pursue can be a great way to narrow the opportunities down. It is easy to become overwhelmed by the vast number of grants available. Also, it is crucial to apply only to grant programs that are specifically set aside for women minorities. You do not want to waste your efforts by applying to the wrong grant programs.

There are many examples of these programs. Some examples of aid available to minority women is as follows:
the Jeannette Rankin Foundation Women’s Education Fund, Association for Women In Science, The Sunshine Lady Foundation, and P.E.O. Program for Continuing Education. Each one of these organizations pride themselves in offering monies to eligible minority women. Each of these funding programs have different stipulations that they require of an applicant. It is definitely worthwhile to investigate the rules and guidelines.

Women have been historically shut out of higher education; however, the past three decades have been an exciting time of growth and progress. Many women do not go to college because they are simply unaware of all of the means of support available to them. Millions of dollars each year go unclaimed in the form of grants and aid meant for women minority college students. More than likely, no one is going to knock on your door to pass out information on grants. You must take the initiative to seek out these opportunities for yourself. In this case, you must be your own advocate for your education.