Earning a professional certificate can be a great move to gain new skills and boost your career. Depending on your background and interests, you might even be eligible for scholarships to help cover some costs.
Colleges, businesses and community organizations offer a wide range of scholarships, including support for noncredit certificate programs. And unlike student loans, scholarships don’t have to be paid back. Set aside some time to search and apply, and you might discover a few scholarships that are right for you.
Scholarships From Your School
When colleges and universities offer need-based scholarships — sometimes known as institutional scholarships — they’re often designated for students in degree programs.
That’s part of what makes the UW Certificate Scholarship program a rare find among accredited U.S. universities. Recipients can enroll in an eligible noncredit certificate program offered by UW Professional & Continuing Education.
With awards that cover approximately 80% of the cost of eligible certificate programs, these scholarships are helping more Washington residents access UW education that can help them gain skills and advance their careers, says Rovy Branon, vice provost of UW Continuum College.
“The ‘skills gap’ is an urgent problem facing American employers,” Branon says. “We’re working with companies to make sure we know what skills are in demand.”
UW certificate program students who live in the state of Washington may also qualify for a Rotary Scholarship for up to $4,000 from the Rotary Club of the University District.
Private Scholarships
Sifting through thousands of scholarship listings takes time you probably don’t have. Search engines may be a quicker way to find scholarships tailored to your interests, says Kevin Ladd, chief operating officer and vice president of business development of Scholarships.com.
“The trick is finding the ones you qualify for,” Ladd says.
Look for scholarships based on the diverse facets of your personal background. Consider your educational goals, unique abilities or field of interest. For example:
▸ Adult learners can find hundreds of scholarships for students age 30 or older.
▸ Consider going for scholarships with award amounts from $100 to $1,000, which may be less competitive than big-ticket programs, Ladd says.
▸ Members of military families may be eligible for a variety of programs, including scholarships for returning students or adult learners. For example, the American Legion Auxiliary Nontraditional Student Scholarship offers $2,000 awards that members may use for noncredit certificates at accredited universities.
Ladd says some college-search sites also offer frequent sweepstakes-like awards, such as “no essay” scholarships. Many require only a few clicks and some personal info (as well as a bit of luck) to apply. (Note that these sites may require you to create an account or profile, and your personal information might be sold or shared.)
Scholarships for certificate programs are less common than awards for degree programs, Ladd says, so save yourself time by reading the terms and conditions before applying.
Scholarships in Your Field
Wherever there’s a need for skilled workers, professional organizations may be looking to support aspiring employees. For example:
▸ People who want to provide better care for pets or captive animals might be eligible for one of three scholarships for the UW Certificate in Applied Animal Behavior.
▸ The nonprofit Child Care Aware of Washington provides select scholarship funds for the UW Certificate in Practice-Based Coaching, which trains professionals who support childcare providers.
▸ Aspiring real-estate professionals who are accepted to the UW Certificate in Commercial Real Estate program may be eligible for scholarship support from NAIOP Washington State (NAIOPWA), a local commercial real estate association.
▸ Students interested in healthy aging might be eligible for a scholarship to advance their careers in senior care by earning the UW Certificate in Gerontology.
More Ways to Find Scholarships
No matter where you live or your field of interest, you may be able to find scholarships from organizations close to home.
Look online, check out local philanthropic foundations, or ask around at midsize companies in your community. You might be surprised to find a wealth of corporate scholarships, Ladd says. While businesses and private organizations have an interest in promoting their work by offering scholarships, he says the awards can mean real cash for students.
“Just because they’re advertorial doesn’t mean they’re not valuable,” Ladd says.
Overall, consider a wide range of careers, causes and communities that influence your life and educational goals. Searching resources with keywords or filters may help you narrow your search to scholarships that match your interests.
For example, this scholarship search database from the UW Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards allows you to search using a variety of filters, including field of interest, financial need and residency.
While scholarships for students in degree programs may be more common than scholarships for certificate programs, taking the time to closely read the funding terms or directly reach out to organizations may help you discover a scholarship that’s right for you.