Top Strategies to Secure Funding as a Non-Traditional Student

Effective Tips for Non-Traditional Student Grant Applications

Non-traditional students often delay college due to financial constraints or personal reasons. Later, they may decide to pursue higher education to enhance career prospects, but face stiff competition. Others leave their studies midway because of economic or family obligations. Fortunately, returning students can access scholarships to continue their academic journey.

Various organizations and universities support non-traditional student grants, including the American Legion Auxiliary, Walmart Foundation, and Osher Foundation, among others. If you're seeking such funding, consider these helpful tips to strengthen your application.

A variety of institutions and advocacy groups endorse non-traditional student grants, including:

American Legion Auxiliary Non-traditional Student Scholarship

Walmart Associate Scholarship

Association for Non-traditional Students in Higher Education

Osher Reentry Scholarship Program

Adult Students in Scholastic Transition Scholarship

If you're a non-traditional student exploring grant options, here are some essential tips to enhance your application process:

Track Deadlines & Apply Early - Submit applications well ahead of deadlines. Early applications improve your chances, and staying organized helps manage multiple submissions efficiently.

Applying for grants can be a lengthy process. Stay patient and persistent. Keep applying while awaiting responses and maintain a schedule to ensure timely submissions.

Explore Different Scholarship Types - Don’t limit yourself to a single scholarship category. Seek out merit-based, activity-based, age-specific, or demographic-specific scholarships such as those for single parents or women.

Secure Strong Recommendation Letters - Good recommendations can boost your application. Provide recommenders with summaries of your activities to help craft personalized letters. Double-check for errors before submission.

Apply for Essay-Based Scholarships - If you're a confident writer, don't overlook scholarships requiring essays. Reusing well-crafted essays across multiple applications can save time and maximize your efforts.

Apply for Smaller Grants - Don't dismiss awards with lower amounts; they often face less competition and increase your overall chances of receiving aid. Accumulating multiple small grants can significantly benefit your education costs.

Finally, verify the legitimacy of scholarship offers. Be cautious of scams: avoid paying fees, sharing sensitive information like social security numbers, or responding to unsolicited contacts claiming you've won a prize. Genuine grants do not ask for money or personal data upfront.