College education can be costly.
Affording a college education can be a daunting prospect for many people. It is particularly challenging for minority groups, especially those who come from impoverished homes. A single black woman faces an even greater challenge because she will probably need more money than someone in a two-income family. Thankfully, there are grants out there specifically for single black women.
Function
A grant helps to defray the cost of a college education.
Grants provide financial assistance to those who need them. Unlike loans, grants do not have to be repaid.
Types
There are various grants available to assist in affording college tuition.
Several different types of grants are available to single black women. Some, such as Pell grants, are available to all individuals who fall below a certain income. Other types, such as the Lydia Cecilia Donaldson Tutt-Jones Memorial Research Grant, apply to those specifically studying African-Americans and their successes.
Size
Grant amounts may vary.
The sizes of grants vary. The Pell grant, since it is designed for low-income individuals, has a maximum amount available; in the 2007-2008 school year, the average amount awarded was $4,310 per student. It is important to follow deadlines as well, since some grant programs require that you submit your application for aid by a certain date in order to be considered.
While there are no grants available to single black women based solely on marital and ethnic status, there are grants available to all black women pursuing a particular interest, such as nursing. The National Black Nurses Association, for instance, offers assistance ranging from $500-$2,000 for black women enrolled in a four-year nursing program.
Benefits
The fact that grants do not have to be repaid makes them very advantageous over student loans that do have to be repaid. In this economy, most minority groups--college graduates included--are struggling to find a job, let alone one that pays enough to also pay back thousands in student loans. Grants are an excellent alternative to any type of debt.
Considerations
Since they do not require repayment, grants often have limitations or a complex application process. While federal student loans are essentially available to anyone who applies for them, grants have requirements. These can be anything from submitting a project and having a letter of recommendation (such as the Lydia Cecilia Donaldson Tutt-Jones Memorial Research Grant), to falling below a certain income. The LDTJ grant is available to graduate students and professionals.
Single black women must take into consideration, too, that their time is valuable. Overall, be sure that the amount of a grant is worth it to you to apply, and do not spend too much time and effort on something that will hardly put a dent in your college tuition.
Tags: black women, grants available, grants have, have repaid, student loans