Scholarships and Education Grants for Single Mothers in Utah

Where to start

Quick reference table

FAFSA, Pell, FSEOG, TEACH, and work-study

The first step is the FAFSA. Federal Student Aid says the FAFSA is for students who want to be considered for grants, scholarships, work-study funds, and loans. Utah schools also use FAFSA results for many state and school aid decisions.

Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant is one of the most important grants for low-income undergraduate students. For the 2026-27 award year, the Pell award notice lists the official maximum scheduled Pell Grant as $7,395 and the minimum as $740. The exact amount depends on federal rules, your FAFSA information, and how many credits you take.

Do not assume part-time school means no Pell. Pell can be adjusted for enrollment. Ask your financial aid office how half-time, three-quarter-time, summer classes, and online classes change your award.

FSEOG

The FSEOG grant is campus-based aid for undergraduate students with exceptional financial need. Awards can range from $100 to $4,000, but not every school has the same amount of FSEOG money. Ask early because campus funds can run out.

TEACH Grant

The TEACH Grant can help students preparing for teaching in high-need fields. It has a service agreement. If you do not complete the required teaching service, the grant can become a loan. This can be useful for future teachers, but it is not a safe choice unless you understand the service rules.

Federal Work-Study

Work-study is not a grant check. It is a job program for students with financial need. The work-study rules allow schools to consider financial need, your schedule, wages, and available funds. Ask for jobs that fit child care pickup times and your program goals.

Utah grants and scholarships to ask about

The Utah System of Higher Education lists statewide scholarship and aid programs. Some are for recent high school graduates. Others can help adult students. A single mother returning to school should ask the school aid office which state programs can be added to Pell and school aid.

Some aid can cover only certain costs. Some programs are last-dollar, which means they pay after Pell, state aid, and other scholarships are counted. Others may be limited by funding. Ask the aid office to show the order in which each aid source applies.

Campus scholarships and emergency aid

Many Utah colleges have their own scholarship portals. This matters because single mothers may qualify for school-based aid even if they do not qualify for a private single-parent scholarship. Search for scholarships by major, campus, department, returning adult status, first-generation status, transfer status, military connection, foster care history, or career goal.

Some public schools also have tuition-promise programs. For example, the University of Utah lists For Utah for Pell-eligible Utah residents who meet the terms. Utah State describes Utah State Promise as a last-dollar scholarship for Pell-eligible students who meet criteria. UVU lists Greenlight, and Weber State lists Dream Weber as school-specific options.

These programs change by year, student type, deadline, credit load, and funding. Do not copy rules from an old article. Open the current school page, then ask the aid office if the program fits you as a new, transfer, returning, online, or part-time student.

Child care help while you study

Child care is often the reason school becomes impossible. Utah DWS says child care assistance can help eligible families pay part of child care costs, and eligibility is based on income, work and training hours, and household size. The Utah page also says a family of four making $8,335 or less per month could qualify, but limits update each year and DWS decides countable income.

To qualify, you generally need ongoing child care for employment or approved school or training activities, and you must select an approved provider. Utah says payments are made directly to the provider and may not cover the full cost. Start at child care assistance, then use Care About Childcare to search for providers.

Ask your college if it has campus child care, a student-parent office, a child care grant, or a CCAMPIS-funded program. If there is a waitlist, ask for a written referral list and whether DWS subsidy providers near campus have openings.

For a broader overview of child care aid, ASMOM has a national child care guide and a Utah page on Utah child care for families comparing options.

Workforce training, GED, and short programs

College is not the only path. Utah DWS says its job training help can include career counseling and funding for training and education costs. This may include GED help, occupational licenses, certificates, apprenticeships, books, testing, and supplies for eligible people.

This is especially useful if you need a shorter path to work, such as health care, technology, transportation, manufacturing, skilled trades, child care, bookkeeping, or another local high-demand field. A DWS counselor may ask about income, job loss, age, foster care history, work goals, and whether the training leads to a real job.

If you need a high school diploma or GED, Utah State Board of Education has adult education information and a GED page. Ask the adult education program whether testing help, tutoring, child care referrals, or transportation support is available.

ASMOM also has Utah job training and national job training help guides.

Special education aid paths

Some single mothers qualify for added help because of past foster care, military service, disability, or family status. These programs are not for everyone, but they can be important if they apply to you.

• Former foster youth: Utah DCFS lists education and employment resources, including the Olene S. Walker Transition to Adult Living Scholarship and Education Training Voucher funds. Start with DCFS education help and your campus aid office.
• Veterans: The Utah Veterans Tuition Gap Program can help certain Utah veterans who have exhausted federal education benefits and are near completion of a first bachelor’s degree. Ask your campus veteran center and review the Veterans Tuition Gap page.
• Utah National Guard: State Tuition Assistance can be used for accredited schools and may help with tuition, fees, and course materials, subject to caps and service rules. Review Guard tuition help before you enroll.
• Disability-related support: Ask your school disability services office about accommodations, accessible course load, testing support, and program fit. For broader family support, ASMOM has a disability help guide.

Documents checklist

Missing paperwork is one of the biggest reasons aid is delayed. Keep photos or PDFs of key records in one safe folder. ASMOM has a broader documents checklist, but for school aid in Utah, start with these items.

If denied, delayed, or overwhelmed

If your FAFSA aid is too low, ask the financial aid office about a special circumstance or professional judgment review. This can matter if your income dropped, child support changed, medical costs rose, or you had another major family change. The school decides what it can review and what proof is needed.

If your Utah child care, SNAP, TANF, or Medicaid case is delayed, contact DWS Eligibility Services and check your myCase notices. ASMOM has a plain guide for delayed benefits. For Utah cash help, see Utah TANF before your next review deadline.

If the school says funds are gone, ask when the next application window opens, whether there is a waitlist, and whether your department has separate scholarships. Also ask about a payment plan, book advance, food pantry, transportation pass, laptop loan, and emergency grant.