Education Grants for Senior Citizens

Move forward. If you are not a computer wizard take classes at a local senior center or community college and get a head start on learning how to use one. Make the second half of your life a new beginning. You may not use your degree to climb the corporate ladder but you can achieve your own personal goals. It's true, age is just a number.

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)-The FAFSA application can be completed online and it is the first step to getting government financial aid. The government does not discriminate because of your age. Seniors can qualify for government grants if they do not have an undergraduate degree. Grants include the Pell, FSEOG (Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Teacher Education Grants, Academic Competiveness (this program ends in 2011), National SMART Grants, work study grants and LEAP Grants.

Tuition Waivers-Most states offer tuition waivers to seniors 62 and over to earn college degrees. Check with your local college or university to find out if they offer waivers or reduced tuition. The American Council on Education says about 60% of colleges and universities offer waivers. Generally books, computers and other school related materials are not included in the tuition waiver. However, there are grants and other financial resources to help you pay for your books and other related items you may need. Some of the colleges that offer tuition waivers include North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Virginia, University of Delaware and Northern Michigan University.

Scholarships-The University of Alabama offers an Adults Scholarship Program and the University of Phoenix offers a First Chance Scholarships to adults entering college for the first time. Seniors can also go online to fastweb.com, create a profile and find other scholarships that are available for older students.

For women, AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) offers scholarships for education and other financial needs and AAUW (American Association of University Women) offers scholarships and fellowships for women to attend college.

Private Grants for Older Adults-Foundations also offer educational assistance for older college students. Specifically for women over 35-years-old the Jeannette Rankin Foundation offers grants and for women over 40 the Avon Foundation for Women has competitive grants for women. A central location to find private grants for individuals is the Foundation Center. To locate more private foundations that make grants to older individuals check the Foundation Center's website. It list over 8,000 private foundations to make grants to individuals.