Single parent state scholarship applications open – Pine Bluff Commercial News
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Single parents enrolling in school for the fall 2025 semester can apply for a scholarship from nonprofit Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund (ASPSF) now through Sept. 1.
To apply, single parents must go to aspsf.org/apply and fill out a form with supporting documentation. Both new students and current ASPSF recipients can apply for a scholarship up to $1,600, according to a news release.
If awarded, single parents directly receive the financial aid and can use it to meet their needs, such as rent, child care, gas or groceries, while they go to school. Along with the scholarship, ASPSF staff and volunteers provide mentoring, career coaching and workshops to help recipients balance school, work and parenting.
“My goal is to work in my field of study and to continue my education with pushing towards my bachelor’s degree in respiratory therapy,” said ASPSF recipient Alexis Wilson of Jefferson County.
Wilson received a spring and summer 2025 scholarship. Wilson’s goal is to earn a bachelor’s degree in respiratory therapy. This summer she is enrolled at Southeast Arkansas College working on a medical billing and coding certificate, according to a spokesman.
“Once I graduate with my bachelor’s degree, I would like to work in my field in the hospital setting for at least 5-8 years,” Wilson said.
Applicants must have a GED or high school diploma but have not yet earned a bachelor’s degree. ASPSF awards scholarships to single mothers and fathers working toward skilled-trade certificates, associate degrees, and bachelor’s degrees that lead to professional careers with family-supporting wages.
Recipients must be enrolled in at least one three-hour class online or in-person. They must also have a 2.0 grade point average, earn medium to low income, and participate fully in the ASPSF scholarship program by attending workshops and communicating with their local program manager.
A full list of ASPSF’s eligibility guidelines is available at aspsf.org/eligibility. ASPSF accepts scholarship applications three times a year: spring, summer and fall. The next application will open for the spring 2026 semester in January.
These single parent scholarships are made possible thanks to donors, organizations, schools, businesses, and foundations. Thanks to community support, ASPSF awarded more than 800 scholarships totaling $1.1 million last year.
The statewide nonprofit ASPSF is dedicated to ending single parent poverty through higher education. Since 1990, ASPSF has awarded more than $50 million in scholarships and provided services that empower single parents to complete their education and pursue higher-paying careers.
The deadline to apply for the next scholarship is Sept. 1. Details: aspsf.org.
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