Going back to college can be a great way to improve your finances and your job prospects. Having a college degree can open doors, giving you more opportunities, and it can increase your yearly income. The problem, however, often comes with trying to pay for college. The cost of college has been soaring, but there are options that will help.
The average cost of going to a two-year public college is almost $3,500 per year, while the average per year for a public four-year college is around $9,500. Coming up with the funds to pay for the tuition may keep some felons from going back to college. But it shouldn’t. There are grants and scholarships for felons going back to college, making it not only possible, but affordable.
Grants and scholarships are essentially considered to be gifts. Unlike loans, they will not ever have to be paid back. Felons who receive grants and scholarships to go back to college can take the help without having the stress of trying to pay it back once they finish their education. There is no limit to the number of grants and scholarships you can apply for, so be sure to apply for all of them that you qualify for.
Grants and Scholarships for Felons Going Back to College
Federal Pell Grants – Felons can apply for a Federal Pell Grant to see if they can get their college paid for in full or partially. These federal grants are given to people who have a low income and are citizens or legal aliens. The amount you can get from the grant varies each year, but in recent years it was around $6,345 per year. Considering the cost of going to college this will help pay for all or part of yearly tuition, depending on which college you attend. A Federal Pell Grant does not have to be paid back. You will have to reapply for the grant every year that you are attending school. There are some felons who cannot qualify for a Federal Pell Grant. Whether or not you can depends on what you were convicted of. To learn more about a Federal Pell Grant or apply, click here.
2nd Chance 4 Felons – This organization focuses on helping felons to get a second chance at life. They will look at your unique situation and help find solutions to help you overcome obstacles. They also give felons scholarships to felons who want to go to college. To get more information, click here.
United Negro College Fund (UNCF) – This organization has helped over half a million people to get their college education. They provide more minorities with college scholarships than any other organization. Every year, they give out more than $100 million in scholarships, which do not have to be paid back. They have several scholarship programs that you can apply for, including ones focusing on STEM degrees, education degrees, and more. To learn more about the UNCF program, click here.
Sallie Mae Fund Scholarships –This fund provides felons with college scholarships. Their goal is to help minorities and those with a low income to be able to go to college. They have several scholarships they provide, including for Hispanics, those with unmet needs, and more. To learn more about their scholarship program, click here.
Gates Millennium Scholars Program – These scholarships are given to felons by the Gates Foundation. They specifically like to give the scholarships to people who have been historically denied access to higher education. They have given out over $1.2 billion since they started the scholarship program, with the average scholarship amount being nearly $13,000. Every year, they select 1,000 people to give a scholarship to. To learn more about the Gates Millennium Scholars Program, click here.
National Resource Center on Children and Families of the Incarcerated – This organization gives college scholarships to both felons and children who have incarcerated parents. The program is for those who live in Florida, so you will have to meet that requirement. The program has provided $35 million in scholarships to more than 1,500 students. To get more information about scholarships for felons through this organization, click here.
Abercrombie & Fitch Global Diversity & Leadership Scholar Awards – This popular clothing store company offers a scholarship program aimed at increasing diversity. To learn more about their scholarship opportunities, click here.
Be sure to check out as many grant and scholarships for felons as you can. This will make it the most affordable route to going back to college. You can usually get scholarships and grants for more than one place, so it’s a good idea to see if you can get several of them. While one scholarship or grant may not pay for a year of tuition, getting multiple ones should go a long way toward doing just that.
