Many state colleges offer scholarship options for students with financial need, such as the Single Parents with Children Scholarship from Emporia State University in Kansas. A single father who has been divorced or widowed and left with legal custody of one or more children is eligible for this assistance. The scholarship awards $2000 per year (as of 2010), which will be divided between the first and second semester. Appointees of this scholarship must be able to prove they have a financial need and must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours. The scholarship is renewable for a total of four years, but the appointee must be able to show they are making "satisfactory academic progress." Check with your university of choice to see what kinds of scholarships they have available.
Like state colleges, community colleges often offer scholarships to students with certain kinds of home lives or in financial need. For example, there are eight different scholarships available each year (as of 2010) for single parents, including single fathers, that are attending Green River Community College in Washington state. The monetary awards range from $500 to $2500, which is used toward one year of school. Most covers the first semester, while anything leftover is used for books and supplies. If there is any money left after that, it can go toward the next semester's tuition. Each of the available single parent scholarships has different requirements, such as GPA and household income, but all require that the appointee be the legal parent of at least one minor child living at home.
Private foundations may offer scholarships to those students who live in a certain area, went to a certain high school, or fulfill some other set requirements. The George Snow Scholarship Fund is one such foundation. Unlike the previously mentioned single parent scholarships, those awarded by the George Snow Scholarship Fund can be used at any college, university, or vocational school in the country. However, they can only be awarded to single parent residents of Palm Beach County and North Broward County, Florida, who have legal custody of their children. Money is awarded to those who display the most financial need as well as those who are active in the community and have strong educational and career goals. The monetary amount varies depending on year, and usually goes toward tuition during the first year of undergraduate schooling.
Statewide scholarship foundations may have less stringent requirements than private foundations, but will still have a list of essentials that a student must meet in order to be eligible for assistance. A single parent who has primary custody of at least one minor child, who also resides in the state of Arkansas and who has a financial need for support, can apply for a scholarship from the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship fund. Requirements to apply and monetary awards vary by county. The Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Benton County awards money meant to be used in conjunction with other forms of assistance, such as student loans or grants, while the Faulkner County Scholarship is available for those following a career-oriented course of study who are low income residents and in the process of getting or have already gotten a Pell Grant.