According to statistics gathered by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education, it appears that a greater number of women are deciding to head back to school than ever before. In fact, only 415 of all college students were women in 1969, but women comprised 57% of the student body in 2005.

While it is certainly good to see that a greater number of women are deciding to head to the classroom, the reality is that there could potentially be even more women going to college if they had the financial means to do so. The unfortunate drawback to having more women going to school is the fact that it results in a greater amount of competition for grants, scholarships and other forms of financial aid that are available to women. Couple this with the fact that there are a growing number of women struggling to raise their children as single parents, and the need for financial assistance for women becomes even greater.

Fortunately, there are still many financial assistance opportunities available to women who plan to go back to school. Here’s a look at some of the opportunities you might want to explore.

Government Financial Aid

There are several different programs available through the government that can help you pay for your college expenses. If you are a single-parent or low-income woman who wants to go to college, you should visit GovBenefits.gov in order to start exploring federal benefits that you may be qualified to receive. With the help of the loans and grants available through GovBenefits.gov you may be able to get assistance paying for things such as:

· Child care
· Counseling
· Education
· Food
· Health Insurance
· Housing
· Utilities

To find out which programs you may qualify for, simply complete the online questionnaire available at GovBenefits.gov.

Of course, filling out a FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is another important step in obtaining financial assistance. This form can also be completed online and can also be accessed when you visit GovBenefits.gov. Even if you do not feel as if your income will meet financial aid guidelines, it is still important to complete the FAFSA because it is a necessary step in obtaining loans and acquiring a number of grants that are not income-based. Some forms of financial assistance you may be able to obtain after completing the FAFSA include Stafford and Perkins Loans, Pell Grants, participation in work-study programs and participating in campus-based programs.

State and Local Funding

Many states offer scholarship and grant programs, so it is always a good idea to check with your individual state’s government in order to learn more about what is available. Depending upon the type of degree you are interested in pursuing, you might even be able to get the entire cost paid for. In areas where this is a critical shortage of employees, for example, many states are willing absorb these costs. Some career paths that are often addressed through these types of programs include teaching, law enforcement and nursing. In many cases, however, you will have to agree to work in that state for a certain amount of time after you earn your degree as a way of “repaying” the state.

Scholarship Opportunities

In addition to federal, state and local financial assistance, there are also plenty of scholarship opportunities available for you to pursue as well. There are many scholarship opportunities available for exploration at FastWeb.com and many of these scholarships are not dependent upon your grades. Rather, you may qualify for a scholarship based on your community ties. For example, you may qualify for scholarships based upon your charity work or membership with a certain church or civic group. Scholarships can range in value from just a few hundred dollars up to several thousand.

If you are interested in learning more about scholarships that are specifically geared toward women, you might also want to visit the American Association of University Women. Here, you may be able to find fellowships, grants and other awards designed to help you make a career change, advance in your workplace, re-enter the workforce or enter a degree program that is traditionally dominated by men, such as computer science, architecture, engineering, law, business and medicine.

The Business and Professional Women’s Foundation is another scholarship resource for women to explore. This resource is particularly valuable for women who are planning to re-enter the workforce or who are interested in moving up in their current field. In order to qualify for assistance through this program, however, you must be able to demonstrate a financial need and you must be at least 25-years-old.
There are also a number of scholarship opportunities that are available to women who are interested in pursuing specific career fields. Some organizations to check out include:

· the Society of Women Engineers
· the Association for Women in Science
· the Educational Foundation for Women in Accounting

Many colleges also offer scholarships and other form of aids to students, so don’t forget to ask about potential funding available through the school you are planning to attend. Even if you are attending an online school, financial assistance may be available through the school. In fact, some schools only offer scholarships to their distance learning students. So, by attending school online, you might actually increase your chances of obtaining financial assistance.