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.
Washington superior courts handle family matters in each of its 39 counties. The Division of Child Support operates under DSHS. Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver, and Bellevue are the major metros. Northwest Justice Project, the King County Bar, and the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WSCADV) provide statewide civil legal aid and safety services for women.
SBCTC at 1300 Quince St SE in Olympia oversees Washington's 34 community and technical colleges with system-wide policy, financial aid coordination, and transfer agreements to four-year universities. 360-704-4400 Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.
360-704-4400 · 1300 Quince St SE, Olympia, WA 98504 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website
WCG (administered by WSAC at 917 Lakeridge Way SW in Olympia) is the most generous state grant in the nation — full tuition coverage for low-income Washington women at any state college plus partial coverage further up the income ladder. 888-535-0747 Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.
888-535-0747 · 917 Lakeridge Way SW, Olympia, WA 98502 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website
Seattle Colleges (Central, North, South, and Seattle Vocational Institute) at 1500 Harvard Ave coordinate Women's Programs across all four colleges — re-entry advising, childcare assistance, and the Workfirst program for TANF moms. 206-934-5300 Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.
206-934-5300 · 1500 Harvard Ave, Seattle, WA 98122 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website
TCC at 6501 S 19th St in Tacoma runs federally-funded TRIO Student Support Services for first-generation, low-income, and disabled students — free tutoring, advising, and grant aid for women in their TRIO eligibility group. 253-566-5000 Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.
253-566-5000 · 6501 S 19th St, Tacoma, WA 98466 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website
Spokane Community College at 1810 N Greene St offers free GED prep, ESL, HSCD high school completion, and the I-BEST program that lets adult students earn workforce credentials while finishing basic education. 509-533-7000 Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.
509-533-7000 · 1810 N Greene St, Spokane, WA 99217 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website
Washington State Opportunity Scholarship at 1605 NW Sammamish Rd Suite 200 in Issaquah funds Washington low- and middle-income students pursuing high-demand STEM, healthcare, and trades degrees — including bachelor's career and CTE pathways. 206-800-8484 Mon-Fri 9am-5pm.
206-800-8484 · 1605 NW Sammamish Rd Suite 200, Issaquah, WA 98027 · Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · Visit Website
Year Up Puget Sound at 115 NE 100th St Suite 200 in Seattle runs the free one-year career-development program — six months of skills training in IT or business operations, then a paid corporate internship with Amazon, Microsoft, and other partners. 206-455-5400 Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.
206-455-5400 · 115 NE 100th St Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98125 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website
Goodwill of the Olympic and Rainier Region at 700 Dearborn Pl S in Seattle runs free GED prep, digital literacy, English language, and the Job Connection Center — geared to women re-entering the workforce after caregiving, incarceration, or addiction recovery. 206-329-1000 Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm.
206-329-1000 · 700 Dearborn Pl S, Seattle, WA 98144 · Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm · Visit Website
StudentAid.gov is where Washington women complete the FAFSA each year for Pell Grants (up to $7,395), Direct Loans, Work-Study, and to qualify for the Washington College Grant. Opens October 1.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Pell pays up to $7,395 per year for undergraduate women whose family income falls below thresholds adjusted annually. Pell is automatically calculated from the FAFSA and never repaid.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
AAUW funds graduate fellowships for women — Selected Professions Fellowship for STEM, law, and medicine. Washington branches sometimes administer local awards too.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
P.E.O. International runs five scholarship and loan programs for women including the Continuing Education Grant for women whose schooling was interrupted by family or financial hardship.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Soroptimist Live Your Dream Awards give
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Jeannette Rankin Foundation awards ,000 scholarships to low-income women age 35+ pursuing technical, undergraduate, or vocational degrees. Application opens each November.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Patsy Mink Foundation gives $5,000 Education Support Awards to low-income mothers pursuing post-secondary education — Washington mothers are eligible without minimum GPA requirements.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Scholarships.com indexes 3.7 million scholarships including women-only, single-mother, and adult-learner categories most relevant for Washington women returning to school.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
BigFuture is the free College Board planning tool covering college search, application timelines, and the AP Potential calculator — useful for Washington high schoolers researching schools.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Khan Academy's free Official SAT Practice is built with the College Board and produces a personalized study plan from PSAT or SAT scores.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website