The Ultimate List of Scholarships for Women and Girls

Updated on May 20th, 2024

College can be expensive. That’s why scholarships for female high school seniors and current college students are so valuable. First, they help lower the cost of going to school, which is worthwhile in itself. Second, they are only open to female high school senior students enrolled, making them potentially less competitive.

If you want to discover how to find scholarships for women or other awards that can help your student graduate with as little debt as possible, join our free webinar! You’ll learn a ton about the scholarship process, including how to search for opportunities, organize and complete applications, write winning essays, and more. Head over to https://thescholarshipsystem.com/freewebinar to find out when the next training session is available.

Scholarships for women and girls can run the gamut when it comes to eligibility criteria. Some focus on specific demographics, such as minorities. Others concentrate on a limited number of professional fields or degrees, like education or nursing majors. Still, with the number of awards available, it’s wise for female students to explore these options, allowing them to seize as many opportunities as possible.

If you have a female senior high school senior student getting ready to head to college from high school or a current college student looking to reduce the cost of the rest of their education, here is the ultimate list of scholarships for women and girls.

Everything You Need to Know About Scholarships

Many students (and their parents) have questions about scholarships. What are scholarships? Can you really pay for college with them? How do scholarships work, and where can you find them?

Scholarships for college are a great way to fund your student’s education without having to turn to student loans. Essentially, scholarships don’t involve debt, allowing your student to secure an education and launch a career without having to worry about future student loan payments.

If you’d like to learn more about the wide world of scholarships, you’re in luck. This video goes over everything you need to know about college scholarships in 2023, how to get scholarships in the USA, the best scholarships for college students to explore, what determines scholarship fund eligibility, and more:

What Are Scholarships? Everything You Need to Know

Check out the link above and view the video to learn all about the scholarship landscape and how it can help your student graduate from college debt-free today.

General Scholarships for Women

If your student isn’t sure what degree they will pursue or simply wants to apply for awards that don’t require a specific major, then general scholarships for women are an excellent choice. The resources below aren’t restricted to particular fields, making them more flexible than some other options, like scholarships for women pursuing something in STEM. Plus, students still benefit from a limited applicant pool, as being a woman or girl is typically a foundational requirement for eligibility.

However, while these options focus on female students, they still have a variety of other requirements. Some may focus on financial needs. Others may concentrate on merit, community service, or leadership. As a result, students should review the rules carefully to determine if they’re eligible.

Here is a list of general scholarships for girls attending college:

• 1000 Dreams Scholarship Fund
• AAUW Scholarship Program (Multiple Opportunities)
• Alumnae Panhellenic Association of Washington, DC (DCAPHA) Scholarship
• Arizona Business and Professional Women’s Foundation Scholarship
• Army Women’s Foundation Legacy Scholarships (Multiple Opportunities, Must Be a Current or Former Soldier or a Lineal Descendant)
• Daughters of the Cincinnati Scholarship
• Emerge Scholarship (Georgia Residents Only)
• Fresh Start Scholarship Foundation
• Jeannette Rankin National Scholar Grant
• Judith Heavenrich Memorial Scholarship
• Junior League of the Great Lakes Bay Region scholarship
• Kappa Foundation Scholarships
• Professional Business Women of California Scholarship for Young Women
• STAR Scholarship
• SBMEF Scholarships (Multiple Opportunities)
• Women Giving to Women Scholarship
• Woman’s Century Club Scholarship
• Women’s Empowerment Scholarship

Scholarships for Women in Business, Finance, or Accounting

For students who have an eye on the worlds of business, finance, or accounting, the scholarships for girls below are ideal. They require specific majors or fields of study that fall into the broader categories of business, finance, and accounting, limiting the amount of potential competition significantly.

Plus, they may have other requirements – such as residency in a specific state – which may reduce the applicant pool even further. As with all scholarships, reviewing the rules regarding eligibility is essential.

Here is a list of scholarships for women in business, accounting, or finance that your student should explore:

• Educational Foundation for Women in Accounting Scholarships (Multiple Opportunities)
• Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship
• PBWC Academic Scholarship Program (California Residents Only)
• WIIT Trust Scholarship
• Women in Public Finance Scholarships (Must Connect with Local Chapter)

Scholarships for Women in Teaching and Education

Teaching and education are excellent fields of study. However, many educators don’t earn high salaries initially, so keeping the cost of an undergraduate degree in college low and avoiding student loans is essential.

Fortunately, there are also many scholarships and awards designed explicitly for future teachers. Along with scholarships, students may qualify for an education grant offered through the US Department of Education, giving them another potential source of relief if they can’t cover the total cost of their education with scholarships alone.

Here is a list of scholarships for women interested in education and teaching:

• AASA Scholarship Program (Multiple Opportunities)
• American Montessori Society Teacher Education Scholarship
• Barbara Lotze Scholarship
• US Dept. of Education TEACH Grant

Some of the grants and scholarships for women above may require students to commit to teaching in specific fields, in low-income areas, or at a specific grade level. However, many won’t find these points burdensome if teaching is truly their calling.

Scholarships for Women in STEM

There are tons of scholarships for girls in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). Whether your student is looking for scholarships for women in computer science, women in engineering scholarships, scholarships for women in computer science majors, or awards to help with any science, technology, engineering, or math degree, they are sure to find something to help fund their education.

Here are some of the many scholarships for girls in STEM your student may want to explore:

• ABC Humane Wildlife Control & Prevention, Inc. Academic Scholarship
• Alice T. Schafer Mathematics Prize
• APS/IBM Research Internship for Undergraduate Women and Underrepresented Minorities
• AWIS Kirsten R. Lorentzen Award
• Aysen Tunca Memorial Scholarship
• BHW Scholarship
• ESA Foundation Scholarship
• Gertrude M. Cox Scholarship
• Learner Education Women in Mathematics Scholarship
• Hildred Blewett Fellowship
• NOAA Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program
• OpenStack Scholarship Program
• Palantir Scholarships (Multiple Opportunities)
• Santa Rosa Ninety-Nines Aviation Scholarship
• Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Scholarship
• Society of Women Engineers – Lehigh Valley Scholarship Program
• Women Techmakers Scholars Program
• WTS Foundation Scholarships

Scholarships for Women in Nursing, Medicine, and Health

Whether your student has their heart set on being a doctor or nurse or is interested in a field like public health, these scholarships can make college more affordable.

As with all scholarships, the requirements can vary. They may concentrate on specific majors, such as nursing, or could focus on students with demonstrated financial need. Additionally, some of these awards focus on undergraduate degrees, while others may allow or limit applicants to post-graduate students. Since that’s the case, students need to review the requirements before applying.

Here is a list of scholarships for women pursuing higher education in nursing, medicine, health, and similar fields:

• Future Care Scholarship
• March of Dimes Graduate Nursing Scholarships
• NNCC Career Mobility Scholarships (Multiple Opportunities)
• Nurse Corps Scholarship Program
• Oncology Nursing Society Foundation Scholarships (Multiple Opportunities)

Scholarships for Minority Women

Some scholarships for girls don’t just restrict the gender of the eligible applicants. Instead, they also aim to help minorities by making college education more affordable. As a result, they usually have racial or national origin requirements.

Often, these scholarship programs and opportunities are less competitive than some alternatives. Primarily, that’s because the potential applicant pool is inherently smaller. As a result, they’re a solid option for minority students who are also female.

Scholarships for Women from Any Minority Group

While certain scholarships for women do require the applicant to be part of a minority group, not all of them list a specific one. With these, being a member of any minority group or part of one of several minority groups can potentially allow a student to qualify.

However, requirements can go beyond race, national origin, or gender. Some may focus on students with a clear financial need, for example. As a result, students need to take a close look at the rules before they start preparing their applications.

If your student is a female student and a minority, here are a few scholarships to check out:

• AWG Minority Scholarship
• Illustrating Awesomeness Scholarships
• Judith McManus Price Scholarship
• Red Thread Foundation Scholarship

Scholarships for Black Women

Scholarships for African Americans are fairly plentiful, and some go a step further and limit the applicants to women. These are excellent opportunities for eligible students, as the number of applicants is generally low.

As with any other scholarship category, who’s eligible to apply is potentially based on more than race and gender. Some focus on specific majors, and others may require students to have a demonstrated financial need. Since that’s the case, not all African American female students are eligible to apply for all of the awards below, and it’s critical to review the criteria closely before applying.

If you are looking for scholarships for black women, take a look at these:

• Anarcha, Betsy, and Lucy Memorial Scholarship Award (Must Be a Medical Student)
• Anita Young Boswell Scholarship
• Julianne Malveaux Scholarship
• Hallie Q. Brown Scholarship Fund
• UNCF Essence Scholars Program

Scholarships for Asian Women

Asian women can also access scholarships that are either just for them or that highly favor female applicants with Asian backgrounds. Again, the applicant pool for these awards tends to be smaller since there’s a minority focus, making them worth exploring.

Just keep in mind that other eligibility criteria often apply. Students need to check the rules closely to make sure they qualify before applying, ensuring they focus their efforts on the right applications.

Here are a couple of scholarships for Asian women:

• AANAPISI Scholarship Program
• Central California Asian Pacific Women (CCAPW) Scholarship

Scholarships for Hispanic / Latina Women

General scholarships for Latinx students are widely available, but some also require applicants to be women. As a result, these can help Hispanic or Latina female students earn more scholarships, as the applicant pool is typically pretty limited.

In many cases, there are other eligibility criteria to navigate, too, such as the ability to demonstrate a clear financial need. Students need to check all of the requirements before applying. That way, they can confirm that they qualify before dedicating time and energy to the applications.

Here is a list of scholarships for Hispanic women scholars:

• Chicana Latina Foundation Scholarships (Multiple Opportunities)
• Hispanic Women’s Council Scholarship Program
• InGenesis Diversity Leadership Scholarship

Scholarships for Native American Women

Scholarships solely for Native American women are incredibly rare. However, there are opportunities and scholarship funds to be had.

Another benefit of these is that qualifying students usually encounter far less competition than they might see with other rewards. The Native American population is quite small, so that can work in students’ favor. However, they need to make sure they meet all of the requirements before applying, not just the demographic ones. That way, they can concentrate on scholarships that they have the best chance of landing.

Here are a couple of resources and scholarships Native American women should explore:

• Association of American Indian Affairs Scholarships
• Mary Ball Carrera Scholarship (Must Be in Medical School)

Ultimately, all of the scholarships above can make college more affordable for women and girls of all ages. Since that’s the case, it’s worth reviewing everyone one of the options on this list that may apply to your student. By pursuing a wide variety of scholarships, your student may increase their odds of securing more awards. In turn, they might have a better chance of graduating from college debt-free, allowing them to start their educational and career goals without having to worry about a large, cumbersome debt hanging over their heads.

If you want to discover how to find scholarships for women or other awards that can help your student graduate with as little debt as possible, join our free webinar! You’ll learn a ton about the scholarship process, including how to search for opportunities, organize and complete applications, write winning essays, and more. Head over to https://thescholarshipsystem.com/freewebinar to find out when the next training session is available.