Women in North Dakota 40 and older may be eligible to receive scholarships from the AARP Foundation. The scholarships will be awarded to those who are seeking new job skills, training and educational opportunities to support themselves and their families.
Up to 100 scholarships ranging from $500 to $5,000 will be awarded, depending on financial need and the cost of the education or training program.
“The AARP Foundation is committed to elevating opportunities for women,” said AARP North Dakota State Director Janis Cheney. “Since its beginning, the program has provided valuable resources that have enabled deserving women to have access to the educational tools to advance their professional goals.”
Scholarships are available to eligible individuals with moderate to lower incomes and limited financial resources. To be eligible for the scholarships, applicants must:
- Be female age 40 or older (as of March 31, 2010);
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Be able to demonstrate financial need; and
- Be enrolled in an accredited school or technical training program within six months of the scholarship award date.
Priority is given to women in three categories: those raising the children of another family member; those in low-paying jobs with no career opportunities and who are missing either a retirement benefit and/or health insurance; and those who have been out of the workforce for more than five years.
Scholarships may be used for any course of study at a public or private secondary school, including community colleges, technical schools, and four-year universities. Funds are payable to the institution and may be used to pay for tuition, fees, and books.
Interested applicants can submit their application online at www.aarp.org/womensscholarship. The application deadline is March 31. Scholarships will be awarded in early summer 2010.
Scholarship winners will be chosen by an independent selection committee established by the AARP Foundation. They will be chosen on the basis of financial need, personal circumstances and achievements, educational goals, and the likely impact of the scholarship on their lives and their families and communities.
While many individuals benefit from the work of the AARP Foundation, research shows that women are disproportionately at risk of having insufficient funds in the second half of their lives due to lower earning and different work patterns. The AARP Foundation created the Women’s Scholarship Program in August 2007 to help women 40+ overcome financial and employment barriers by allowing them to participate in education and training opportunities they could otherwise not afford. In 2009, 108 women from all across the country were awarded more than $345,000 in educational scholarships.
The scholarship program is made possible by the AARP Foundation with generous support from Wal-Mart Foundation and the AARP Foundation Women’s Leadership Circle cabinet.