State Aid

• The Florida Department of Education offers several need-based grant programs that have no age requirements and are available to non-traditional students. These include the Access to Better Learning and Education Grant Program, Florida Resident Access Grant Program, Florida Public Postsecondary Career Education Student Assistance Grant Program and the Florida Student Assistance Grant Program. The state awards grant money to students attending both public and private schools within the state. Award amounts vary by program and recipient. To be eligible, you must be a resident of the state and citizen of the U.S. Once you have been awarded grant money from the state, your eligibility for renewal is contingent upon maintaining a GPA of at least 2.0.
  
  

Community Foundations

• There are many local community foundations serving different areas of Florida, and some of them offer financial support to non-traditional students. For example, the Community Foundation of Sarasota offers several sources of aid, including the Davis Educational Fund, the Helen F. "Jerri" Rand Memorial Scholarship Fund and the James Franklin and Dorothy J. Warnell Scholarship Fund. The Manatee Community Foundation and the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Marin Counties also offer aid to non-traditional students. Check with the community foundation serving your area of Florida for available non-traditional scholarships and grants.
  
  

AAUW Scholarships

• Several Florida branches of the American Association of University Women offer financial support to local women who wish to return to school. For example, the Lee County AAUW awards two scholarships each year, with preference given to applicants over the age of 25. The Manatee Branch offers a $500 Woman in Transition Scholarship to an applicant who has been out of school for at least three years. The Bradenton Branch also offers financial aid to women 25 years and older. Visit the Florida AAUW website to view available scholarships in your area.
  
  

School Aid

• Many colleges and universities in Florida offer aid that does not have to be repaid and is reserved specifically for non-traditional students. For example, non-traditional students at the University of Central Florida may be eligible for $1,000 of support through the Phoenix Scholarship. St. Johns River State College offers several scholarship programs for non-traditional students, including the Dan and Katie Martinez Endowed Scholarship and the Joe and Linda Pickens Florida Community College Scholarship. Non-traditional students attending Tallahassee Community College may be eligible for the Alumni Association Endowed Scholarship or the Robert Wise Memorial for Returning Adults Scholarship. Be sure to check with your school for institutional sources of support reserved for adult learners.