Fund raises amount for single parent scholarships

Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund (ASPSF) recently announced it is raising individual scholarship amounts will increase starting with the Fall 2023 semester. Full-time eligible single parents can now receive $1,600 per semester, up from $1,200. Part-time students will receive a prorated amount based on the number of enrolled hours.

ASPSF is accepting scholarship applications for the Fall 2023 semester through June 15 at www.aspsf.org/apply now. Eligibility guidelines are available online at www.aspsf.org/ eligibility.

“Everything’s gotten more expensive, and the single parent scholarship doesn’t stretch as far as it used to. We know that, and we want to help,” ASPSF Executive Director Ruthanne Hill said. “We hope the increase scholarship amount will offset some of those increases.”

ASPSF’s “scholarships” aren’t scholarships in the traditional sense. Single parent recipients receive a check they can use to pay for expenses that will help them stay in school. Awardees often use their funds for child care, laptops, tuition, etc.

Plus, ASPSF provides workshops, mentoring, and encouragement to help single parents along their journey through school, to graduation, and onto a professional job with family-supporting wages.

ASPSF awards scholarships to single parents attending school full-time, part-time, and online pursuing associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and certificate programs. Eligible applicants have a GED or high school diploma, a 2.0 GPA in past courses, and a household income typically not more than 250 percent of Federal Poverty Guidelines.

For more information about the nonprofit – which has awarded more than $35 million in scholarships across the state to single parents since 1990 – contact ASPSF Communications Director Jen Para at jpara@aspsf.org or 479-318-2885.

For more than 30 years, Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund has worked to create stronger, more educated, and more self-sufficient families. Through scholarships and services, ASPSF opens doors for low-income single parents, helping them pursue education, secure employment, and transform the future for their families. With the help of volunteers and community support, ASPSF creates multigenerational change, transforming lives for both single parents and their children. For information about scholarships, volunteer opportunities, and ways to give, visit www.aspsf.org.