Education resources for women include FAFSA-based federal aid (Pell Grants up to ~$7,000/year), the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Title IX protections against sex discrimination on campus, and dedicated single-mother scholarships through the Jeannette Rankin Foundation, Soroptimist Live Your Dream Awards, and Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation. Community colleges offer low-cost two-year degrees and trade certificates, often with CCAMPIS-grant subsidized on-campus childcare. AAUW funds career development grants and fellowships for women. GED and HiSET programs run through state adult education offices, usually free. This directory covers FAFSA offices, community colleges, adult education, and women's scholarships.
Arizona handles custody (called 'legal decision-making' and 'parenting time') in superior courts across all 15 counties. The Division of Child Support Services operates under DES. Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, and Chandler are the largest metros. Community Legal Services, Southern Arizona Legal Aid, and the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence support women statewide.
ACPE at 2020 N Central in Phoenix administers the Arizona Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership and AzGrant programs that supplement Pell for low-income Arizona women. Their website hosts the Arizona Earn to Learn matched-savings program for first-gen students. Call 602-258-2435.
602-258-2435 · 2020 N Central Ave Suite 650, Phoenix, AZ 85004 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website
MCCCD's 10 colleges — including Phoenix College, GateWay, Mesa, and Rio Salado — make up the largest community-college district in the country. Tuition is ~$97 per credit for in-county residents. Rio Salado is fully online and especially friendly to working mothers. Call 480-731-8000.
480-731-8000 · 2411 W 14th St, Tempe, AZ 85281 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website
Pima Community College at 4905 E Broadway in Tucson runs the Single Mother Scholar program, dedicated child-care subsidies, and a women's resource center. PCC's six campuses across Tucson make it accessible for moms on multiple bus lines. Call 520-206-4500.
520-206-4500 · 4905 E Broadway Blvd, Tucson, AZ 85709 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website
ASU's School of Social Transformation in Tempe offers Women and Gender Studies degrees and houses the Women's and Children's Empowerment Initiative. ASU Online is also a major remote-learning option for moms unable to attend in person. Call 480-965-2358.
480-965-2358 · Tempe, AZ 85281 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website
Filing FAFSA at studentaid.gov is the gateway to Pell grants, federal subsidized loans, work-study, and most Arizona state aid. Arizona's deadline aligns with federal; file as early as October 1 each year. Call 800-433-3243 with technical questions.
800-433-3243 · Federal resource · 24/7 online · Visit Website
Arizona's American Job Centers — Maricopa, Pima, and 15 other workforce regions — host free Adult Basic Education, GED prep, and ESL classes. WIOA funds pay for many credentialed-training programs for low-income women. Call 602-542-3667 for your nearest center.
602-542-3667 · Multiple locations statewide · Varies by location · Visit Website
NAU in Flagstaff has a Commission on the Status of Women that drives campus policy on parental leave, pay equity, and Title IX. The university's main campus on S San Francisco St offers child care through ASCEND and the campus Family Resource Center. Call 928-523-9011.
928-523-9011 · South San Francisco St, Flagstaff, AZ 86011 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website
Arizona uniquely lets taxpayers redirect state tax liability to School Tuition Organizations that grant private-school scholarships — including many that prioritize single mothers. Apply through STOs like APESF, AZ Tuition Connection, and Catholic Education Arizona.
602-542-5460 · Online resource · 24/7 online · Visit Website
Pell awards up to $7,395/year (2024-25) and never has to be repaid. Most Arizona single mothers attending community college qualify for the full amount. Eligibility starts with FAFSA — no separate application required.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
AAUW funds the largest portfolio of fellowships and grants exclusively for women, including Career Development Grants for women restarting careers and Selected Professions Fellowships for fields where women are underrepresented like engineering and law.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
P.E.O. runs five women's-education funding programs: Educational Loan Fund, Scholar Awards, Continuing Education, International Peace Scholarship, and STAR Scholarship. Arizona has 100+ local chapters that often nominate sponsorships.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Cash awards typically
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Founded in honor of the first woman elected to Congress, this scholarship is for low-income women 35+ — the demographic many Arizona moms returning to college fit. Awards ,000-
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Education Support Awards specifically for low-income mothers pursuing degrees while raising minor children — exactly the profile of many Arizona single moms balancing community college with parenting. Awards range ,000-$5,000.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Free scholarship database with detailed filters for adult learners, women, minorities, and Arizona residents. Profile-matching surfaces relevant awards weekly — good complement to FAFSA-driven aid.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
BigFuture's scholarship search and college planner are free without account. Useful for Arizona mothers helping daughters apply to ASU, U of A, or out-of-state schools and for comparing financial-aid offers side by side.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Official College Board partner offering free personalized SAT practice — saves Arizona families the $700-,000 cost of for-profit test prep. Especially valuable for first-generation students aiming for ASU's New American University scholarships.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website