Grants & Retraining Assistance for Adults Returning to College
- You are qualified for federal grants for college if you are over age 25. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine your eligibility for a Pell grant of up to $5,550 a year at fafsa.ed.gov. Use the completed FAFSA to apply for the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, providing up to $4,000 a year for college based on financial need.
- Adults who have become unemployed, particularly displaced workers and displaced homemakers, can apply for a grant for short-term career retraining, and selected two- and four-year college degree programs through the Career One Stop Centers funded by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration. Apply for a grant to complete a degree or certificate program in an area of high employer need and job availability at your local Career One Stop Center.
- Many states offer tuition assistance programs for adults returning to college. Adult students planning to attend college in California must first complete a GED, then apply for a Cal Grant of up to $10,302 a year at calgrants.org. All students meeting program requirements in New York, including adult students returning to college, should complete the application for a New York Tuition Assistance Program grant of up to $5,000 at hesc.com.
- There are few specific grants for adult students returning to college. Adult college students are eligible for scholarships and privately funded grants are that are offered based on financial need, academic performance and area of study. An adult student will compete with traditional high school graduates going to college by writing an essay expressing why they want a college education for a $1,500 College JumpStart Scholarship at jumpstart-scholarship.net. Returning adult college students can apply for a $1,000 American Fire Sprinkler Association Second Chance Scholarship by reading an essay and answering 10 questions at afsascholarship.org
