Top Ten Education Grants for Women in the USA

Educational grants and scholarships provide low-income students an opportunity to continue their studies further. Women have been under-represented in multiple fields. Therefore, institutions and organizations worldwide have created different educational grants and scholarship programs for women. These scholarship programs come with various criteria, such as academic performance, leadership skills, affiliation to a particular community or culture, sports, or belonging to a minority community. Here are the top ten education grants for women in the USA. 

1. American Association of University Women (AAUW) 

Founded in 1881, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is a non-profit organization aiming to advance gender equity in education and workplaces. They launched an international fellowship program in 1917, which opens every year in August. They support women pursuing full-time graduate or post-doctoral study in the United States and even help non-US citizens who want to return to their home country. Besides this, AAUW also offers Selected Professions Fellowships. It helps women pursue a master's degree in engineering, architecture, mathematics, and computer science.  

2. Jeannette Rankin Women's Scholarship 

Jeannette Rankin Women's Scholarship is an educational scholarship program for females over 35. The program is founded by Jeannette Rankin, the first US Congresswoman. The foundation leads the groundwork and is helping women advocate for their rights. You must be a low-income student to avail this financial assistance. Women pursuing technical, vocational, associate's, or bachelor's degrees are eligible for this award. The amount of the scholarship may vary depending on your qualifications.  

3. The Schlumberger Foundation 

The Schlumberger Foundation is a non-profit organization that assists women in science and technology. The foundation's flagship Faculty for the Future program awards fellowships to women who meet the following criteria:  

• You must be from a developing and emerging economies 
• You want to do Ph.D. or post-doctoral studies in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields at universities worldwide 

They launched the program in 2014 and have assisted women in the country. They consider scientific talent and leadership potential to determine the grant amount. One can even get a considerable amount of up to $50,000 per year.  

4. PEO International 

Founded in 1869, PEO Sisterhood is a philanthropic US-based organization that celebrates and helps women progress in their careers. They are an organization of more than 200,000 members and have provided educational opportunities to female students worldwide. Currently, they have six projects helping women complete their further studies.  

• The PEO International Peace Scholarship Fund program – Provides international scholarships for women from outside the US and Canada. This program helps them pursue graduate-level studies in any of the two countries. 
• The PEO Program for Continuing Education – Aims to provide need-based grants to women who had to leave their education for specific reasons. They provide grants of up to US$3,000. 
• The PEO STAR Scholarship and PEO Scholar Awards - Both programs provide scholarships for women who want to pursue undergraduate and doctoral levels, respectively.        

Besides this, they provide educational loans and funds to qualified women who wish to pursue and complete their education.  

Read Also: Grants Could be The Saving Grace for Many Small Businesses Globally

5. Women Techmakers Scholars Program by Google  

Google's Women Techmakers Scholars Program awards scholarships to women pursuing computer science or technology. They provide a grant to women who want to pursue undergraduate or graduate-level courses. The amount of scholarship is up to $10,000 and is awarded to students across the globe.

Besides financial support, selected women applicants will be invited to Google's regional office. They will get an exceptional opportunity to attend workshops, interact, network with experts, or participate in different activities. Students are selected based on academic and leadership backgrounds.  

6. Margaret McNamara Education Grants 

Margaret McNamara Education Grants is another educational grant program for women that has supported more than 485 women from developing countries. You may be eligible for the educational grant if you meet the following conditions:  

• You are 25 or over. 
• You can study in the US, Canada, or select South African and Latin American universities. 
• You are from a country designated as a 'lower or middle-class developing country.' 

7. Michigan Sugar Queen Scholarship 

Michigan Sugar Queen Scholarship is an educational grant for women which may help them complete their studies in Michigan. Here are some of the conditions you must meet to be eligible for the award:  

• Your age is between 18 and 23.  
• You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA.  
• You must be a resident of a country where sugarbeets are grown.  
• It would help if you were unmarried.  
• You should have no dependents. 

You should be willing to serve the Sugar Queen or Court Attendant for one year. Remember that the applicants must also remain unmarried until the entire period is over.  

8. UNESCO-L'Oreal Fellowships for Women in Science 

L'Oreal, in partnership with UNESCO, awards fellowships to women researchers yearly. Women pursuing doctoral or post-doctoral research programs in the following fields are eligible for the fellowship:  

• Life sciences  
• Genetics  
• Ecology  
• Neurobiology  
• Biotechnology 

Note: They offer five international fellowships, and the grant price is between $15,000 to $16,000.  

9. Forte MBA Fellows Program for Women 

The Forte MBA Fellows Program for Women has awarded more than 7,000 women. They created the program to increase the number of women candidates pursuing an MBA. They offer fellowships to women who wish to pursue an MBA in a part-time or full-time program. In addition to the financial assistance, the selected applicants will also get access to the network of companies by Forte Network. This certainly helps women progress and accelerate their careers. 

Read Also: 10 Small Business Grants for Minorities

10. Ida Gerber Memorial Scholarship 

Ida Gerber Memorial Scholarship is another scholarship program awarded to women candidates in their sophomore, junior, and senior years at Angela State University. You must be a resident of the Concho Valley to be eligible for this. The grant may vary from $1000 and more. Check the website to know more about the details and deadline for the scholarship program by Ida Gerber Memorial.  

Final Thoughts  

These are the top ten education grants for women in the USA. You must go through the guidelines and specifications to understand the eligibility criteria. You should check the website to know the application process and deadline.