Financial Aid for Female Students
On this page, you’ll find information about scholarships and fellowships for female students.
The Women's Opportunity Awards Program
The Women’s Opportunity Awards, Soroptimist’s major service project, was established by Soroptimist International of the Americas in 1972 to assist women entering or re-entering the workforce in obtaining the education and skills training they need to improve their employment status. Women’s Opportunity Awards are designed to give women heads of household, who provide the primary source of financial support for their families, the opportunity to achieve their career goals – an opportunity they have not previously had, whether because of economic or social barriers, or personal circumstances. These awards are for women who are attending, or have been accepted to, a vocational/skills training program, or an undergraduate degree program.
Women’s Opportunity Awards are cash awards that recipients may use for any expenses related to their educational pursuits. These include tuition and books, housing, child care and transportation. These awards are not scholarships. The program begins at the community level, where award amounts vary. Local winners then become eligible to receive region-level awards. Every year, 28 geographic regions throughout North, Central and South America and Asia each grant one $5,000 first-place award and two $3000 awards. These 28 first-place recipients become eligible to receive one of three $10,000 finalist awards.
Eligible applicants must be female heads of household, who are enrolled in or have been accepted to a vocational/skills training program, or an undergraduate degree program. Applicants must demonstrate financial need, and cannot have already earned an undergraduate degree. Only residents of Soroptimist International of the America’s 19 member countries and territories are eligible to apply.
Applications are accepted each year from July 1 until December 1. Applications received after December 1 and before July 1 will not be considered.
Jeannette Rankin Foundation Scholarship
The Jeannette Rankin Foundation raises funds and awards grants annually to low-income women, thirty-five years of age and older, who are in an undergraduate or vocational training program and have a vision of how their education will benefit themselves, their families, and their communities. In working toward these ends, JRF continues the legacy of Jeannette Rankin, the first woman elected to congress and a proponent of peace and women’s and children’s rights.
American Association of University women (AAUW)
AAUW is a nationwide organization dedicated to promoting education and equity for women and girls. The AAUW Foundation offers direct support to women through fellowships, grants and awards; research; voter education; educational resources; grassroots activism; community action projects; and legal assistance against sex discrimination in higher education.
For information about AAUW scholarships and fellowships, write to:
AAUW Educational Foundation
2001 N. Dodge Street
Iowa City
IA 522-43-4030
Phone: 1-319-3337-1716
Fax: 1-319-337-1204
Business and Professional Women’s Foundation
The Business and Professional Women’s Foundation maintains a list of scholarships and fellowships aimed at women age 25 and over, who are going back to school to upgrade their career skills, train for a new career or re-enter the job market. For more information, write to:
Scholarships
BPW Foundation
2012 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Displaced Homemakers Network
This organization assists women who were homemakers and now need to get a job or go to school. For more information, call 1-202-467-4346.
Women in Defense HORIZONS Scholarship Foundation
Women in Defense (WID) established the HORIZONS Scholarship Foundation to assist women who are pursuing or plan to pursue, careers related to US national security. The value of each Horizons scholarship will be at least $500. The deadline is November 1 for the Spring semester and July 1 for the Fall semester. Applicants must be US citizens, have a minimum GPA of 3.25 and be studying Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, Business Law, International Relations, Political Science, Operations Research, Economics or other fields of study demonstrated relevant to a career in the areas of national security or defense.
You may obtain a HORIZONS application from WID’s web page or by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to:
HORIZONS Application, c/o WID
2101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 400
Arlington, VA 22201-3061
Accounting Scholarships
Applicants for the scholarship must be AICPA student affiliate members currently majoring in accounting, finance or information systems in full-time undergraduate or graduate programs. They must also have completed the equivalent of at least 30 semester hours and have achieved a minimum 3.0 grade point average. Applications for the 2004-2005 scholarships will be available on aicpa.org late this Fall.
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
1211 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036 8775
212-596-6223 (minority scholarships, fellowships)
212-596-6221 (doctoral fellowships, Carey scholarships)
Fax: 212-596-6292
• Scholarships for Minority Accounting Students
• Fellowships for Minority doctoral Students
• John L. Carey Scholarships
American Society of Women Accountants (ASWA)
60 Revere Dr, Suite 500
Northbrook, IL 60062
800-326-2163
Fax: 847-480-9282
• Educational Foundation for Women in Accounting: Graduate and undergraduate scholarships
American Women’s Society of CPAs (AWSCPA)
401 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
800-AWSCPA-1
Fax: 312-527-6783
• Various undergraduate and graduate scholarships available through local affiliates
Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
The Gregor Building
716 West Avenue
Austin, Texas USA 78701
512-478-9070
Fax: 522-478-9297
• Various scholarship opportunities
The Educational Foundation for Women in Accounting
Administrative
P.O. Box 1925
Southeastern, PA 19399-1925
610-407-9229
Fax: 610-644-3713
• Laurels Fund: One-year academic scholarship for women who are pursuing advanced degrees in accounting
• Women in Transition Scholarship
• Additional undergraduate scholarship awards
National Association of Black Accountants (NABA)
7249 A Hanover Parkway
Greenbelt, MD 20770
301-474-NABA
Fax: 301-474-3114
• Graduate and undergraduate minority scholarships
National Society of Accountants (NSA)
1010 N. Fairfax Street
Alexandria, VA 22314 1574
Tel: 703-549-6400; 800-966-6679
Fax: 703-549-2984
• Undergraduate scholarships
Association for Non-Traditional Students in Higher Education (ANTSHE)
Dr. Kim Kazimour and the ANTSHE sponsor the annual Kazimour Scholarship. Three $500 awards, two for undergraduate students (two-year and four-year) and one for a graduate student are awarded each spring semester. The deadline is October 31.
Kazimour Scholarship Requirements:
- Applicants must submit a personal statement
- A current member of the ANTSHE must nominate/recommend applicants, in writing
- Applicants must submit transcripts from all colleges attended.
- Applicants must submit a completed application
Enrollment and Grade Point Average Requirements
An applicant for the undergraduate scholarship award must:
- Be enrolled in a degree or certificate program
- Be registered at the time of scholarship award for a minimum of 6 credit hours
- Have completed a minimum of 15 credit hours at an accredited two-year or 30 credit hours at a four-year college
- Have a cumulative grade point average of 3.25
An applicant for the graduate scholarship award must:
- Have completed a Bachelor’s degree
- Either be accepted into an accredited graduate program at the time of application (copy of acceptance letter must be attached to application) or be enrolled in an accredited graduate program for a minimum of 6 credit hours
- • Have a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 • Attach all undergraduate transcrip
