Scholarships and Education Grants for Single Mothers in Vermont

Where to start: four steps

1. Choose a school and term. Find out whether you need a degree, certificate, or a short course for your job goal. Ask if the school and program can use federal and Vermont aid.
2. File FAFSA for the right year. You may need a StudentAid.gov account and consent from anyone required to give information. Follow the official FAFSA instructions; applying is free.
3. Complete the VSAC application. Sign into MyVSAC and choose the Vermont Grant, Advancement Grant, or the right pathway form. FAFSA alone does not complete your state grant application.
4. Talk to financial aid before accepting costs. Ask for a written breakdown of tuition, fees, books, child care, travel, and living costs. Then ask what grants and scholarships can cover.

For a wider map of family assistance, the Vermont help guide explains other state benefit routes.

Quick aid table

Know the types of education aid

Ask the school to show gift aid first and loans last. A tuition-free program can still leave books, meals, child care, housing, travel, lab fees, and supplies unpaid.

FAFSA and federal student aid

Which FAFSA form should you use?

Use 2026–27 for the school year that ends June 30, 2027. The federal deadline is June 30, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. Central time. Schools and state grant programs may need your form much earlier. Use 2027–28 if you will attend between July 1, 2027 and June 30, 2028. It is already open. The 2026–27 form uses 2024 tax data; the 2027–28 form generally uses 2025 tax data. You can check the official FAFSA deadlines.

Federal Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant can help eligible undergraduates. The maximum for 2026–27 is $7,395, not an amount every student gets. School costs, financial information, credit load, course length, and past Pell use affect the amount. The 2027–28 maximum has not yet been posted on the official Pell page as of this update; do not use $7,395 as a confirmed 2027–28 maximum.

FSEOG, work-study, and FAFSA parent rules

The FSEOG grant may help some students with very high financial need. The school has limited funds. Not every school offers it. Federal Work-Study pays wages for a job, and you must work the hours to earn the money.

Being a single mother does not always make you an independent FAFSA student. Support of your children, age, marriage, and other facts matter. See the official dependency questions. Ask a financial aid adviser when you are not sure; do not guess about a child’s support or a parent’s income.

If your income has fallen

If your FAFSA tax year no longer shows your real income because of job loss, fewer work hours, separation, a death, or major expenses, ask the school for a special-circumstances review. This is sometimes called professional judgment. Bring proof. The school decides whether it can adjust your aid; a change is not promised.

Vermont grants through VSAC

Vermont Grant for college

Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) manages Vermont Grants for eligible state residents at approved undergraduate schools, including some schools outside Vermont. Full-time and part-time study may qualify. You usually need to file FAFSA and a MyVSAC grant application each year.

Award amounts depend on need, cost of attendance, credits, available funds, and when you apply. Most students may receive up to the equivalent of 10 full-time semesters before their first bachelor’s degree. VSAC lists narrow medical and veterinary program exceptions. Ask VSAC if previous study or a prior degree affects you.

Advancement Grant for short courses

The Advancement Grant helps with approved non-degree study that builds job skills or prepares you for further education. VSAC permits up to two courses per enrollment term, in up to two terms per financial year, and no more than six terms total. It may not pay all course costs. VSAC sends approved money to the school after classes start and the school confirms enrollment. Check the course rules before you pay a fee.

If FAFSA cannot be completed

Some Vermont residents unable to complete FAFSA may have a separate state application route. The VSAC pathway application page lists 2026–27 and 2027–28 forms and special rules. Do not assume the pathway gives you federal aid. Ask VSAC which form fits your situation before sharing private records.

VSAC’s official grant site also explains when approved Advancement Grant money is paid to the school and how funding limits work. Save copies of your application and each confirmation.

VSAC scholarships and single-parent help

VSAC lists more than 150 scholarships. The old February 11, 2026 deadline was for the 2026–27 cycle and has passed. For 2027–28, the Unified Scholarship Application opened October 1, 2026. Most VSAC-assisted scholarship applications, essays, letters, and other required papers must be submitted or postmarked by February 10, 2027. Other scholarships can have later dates.

Read the VSAC scholarship requirements, find awards that fit you, and use MyVSAC to file. Some awards need recommendation letters, transcripts, and an essay. Make a checklist for each scholarship. Do not wait until the due date to request letters.

The Bernice Murray Scholarship is especially worth checking. VSAC identifies it as support of up to $4,000 toward child care costs for eligible single parents who continue their education. It is competitive, not automatic; check that it is listed for your application year, its exact eligibility terms, and the required papers. VSAC also has a guide to local awards by town, major, work field, and need.

Ask your school about scholarships for adult learners, returning students, parents, and students near graduation. Some campuses offer small emergency grants, a laptop loan, help with books, or access to a food pantry. When a scholarship is a forgivable loan, ask for the service terms and repayment risk in writing.

Tuition programs at Vermont colleges

These programs pay eligible tuition, often after Pell, the Vermont Grant, and other aid. They do not cover every school or family cost.

802 Opportunity at Community College of Vermont

The 802 Opportunity program may cover general tuition and the CCV administrative fee when paired with other aid. It can support part-time study and approved certificates as well as associate degrees. Apply to CCV and file FAFSA plus the Vermont Grant application. You do not need a separate 802 Opportunity application. Ask what books and course fees cost.

UVM Promise: check dependency first

UVM Promise applies to dependent undergraduates meeting its parent-income, residency, asset, enrollment, and other rules. A mother who is an independent FAFSA student should not assume she qualifies. UVM says eligible students must apply on time each year for FAFSA and Vermont Grant, remain full time, and meet academic progress rules. Coverage is rechecked each year; it does not promise four years of payments.

Vermont State: two separate paths

The VTSU Free Tuition Guarantee has a $50,000 income limit for its listed entering cohorts and requires an initial degree, full-time study, and other conditions. It covers general tuition, not all program tuition. The Freedom & Unity program has a separate $85,000 income limit and permits eligible part-time students. VTSU and VSAC combine aid to cover eligible general tuition, while fees and other charges can remain.

Before accepting admission, get the full bill from the school. Ask if your major has added program charges and whether the award renews if your income, hours, or grades change.

Child care while you study

Vermont’s Child Care Financial Assistance Program (CCFAP) can pay part of eligible regulated child care costs. Your household income, service need, residency, assets, provider, and child care schedule matter. A family share may apply. The state lists current income guidelines; do not assume last year’s figures still apply.

School or training may count as a service need if it is intended to lead to a job within one year after completion or is needed to keep a job. The state’s CCFAP training-plan form asks for the course, dates, and a schedule. It allows a school registration and class schedule or a letter from the program with the needed details. If you get Reach Up, ask your case manager if they can approve child care without that form.

You can apply through the CCFAP Parent Portal or your regional child care support agency. Find out about the provider’s open spaces and your expected family cost before registering for class. The Vermont child care guide covers more next steps. A scholarship for child care and CCFAP are not the same program; ask about how awards work together.

Help with short training and career plans

Free advice for adult learners

The VSAC Educational Opportunity Center offers free planning help for many Vermont adults without a bachelor’s degree. Advisers can help choose programs, file FAFSA, prepare state grants, seek scholarships, and work through aid questions. Its toll-free number is 877-961-4369.

Workforce funding and approved courses

Use Vermont JobLink programs to find workforce help and apprenticeships. The WIOA training search lists approved courses. But being on the list does not mean you are approved for payment. Meet with a workforce counselor first. Ask whether tuition, books, tools, testing, travel, and child care can be considered and whether you need written approval before enrollment.

If school is hard to reach, check the Vermont transportation guide. Ask the school about online classes, evening hours, and help getting internet access.

Documents and details to gather

Do not send private ID or immigration records to a random scholarship site. Use official portals and confirm where papers should go. Save the submission date and confirmation number.

Phone scripts you can use

If your aid is denied, delayed, or not enough

1. Read the notice. Find the exact reason and any due date for a correction, school appeal, or reconsideration.
2. Check every portal. Look at StudentAid.gov, MyVSAC, and the school’s account for unsigned forms or missing papers.
3. Ask which rule caused the problem. It may be residency, school eligibility, credits, academic progress, taxes, prior degree, or limited funds.
4. Ask about review options. A school may offer an academic-progress appeal or a special-circumstances review. Follow its instructions and deadlines.
5. Make a backup plan. Ask about lower-cost courses, part-time study, next-term aid, campus emergency help, work-study, and community support.

If the issue involves discrimination, legal deadlines, or public benefits, use the Vermont legal help guide and ask a qualified adviser. School aid rules and public-benefit appeal rights are different; do not assume they have the same deadline.

If food or housing costs are blocking school, see Vermont’s SNAP food help, housing assistance, and Reach Up cash help. Each has its own eligibility and application process.