How to Make Vocational and Trade School Affordable with Scholarships?
Trade school scholarships and vocational school scholarships are a type of financial aid that you typically don’t repay. These scholarships may go to students attending technical, vocational or career colleges. Jobs in the skilled trades require targeted training, knowledge and ability. If you are looking for an affordable way to learn a trade, trade school scholarships could be very useful.
Vocational scholarships and technical school awards could also make your post secondary education more affordable. Recipients use scholarship funds to offset the cost of tuition, fees, housing and supplies. It all depends on the award amount.
Vocational schools are also called career, trade and technical schools. These schools tend to offer vocational programs which are occupation specific. Once you graduate with your diploma or certificate, you may be able to enter the workforce in your chosen trade.
Many two year community colleges also offer trade programs with the option to pursue an associate degree. If choosing this route, you may be able to transfer credits to a four year college in order to go for a bachelor’s degree.
The National Center for Education Statistics reports the average total cost of a two year college is less than a four year one. For the 2018 to 20 19 academic year, a public 2 year school cost an average of $9,400 vs $14,600 at a public 4 year college. Both total costs were for students who lived off campus with family. Private schools and living on or off campus (not with family) may bring increase the cost of attendance.
Who Should Apply for Scholarships for Trade School?
Eligibility requirements for these scholarships for vocational students may vary. In general, they tend to be trade specific and for high school students who want to pursue an associate’s degree. Some awards are for students with unmet financial need. Others may look at your GPA and test scores.
As long as you meet the provider’s criteria, you may apply. You also may need to submit proof of the following:
Enrollment as a full time student and high school graduate
Transcripts with your high school GPA
Letters of recommendation
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Essay(s)
U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident
Types of Vocational and Trade School Scholarships
There are scholarship opportunities for vocational, technical or career colleges. Some trade school scholarships could be location specific. You may also find trade school scholarships for specific trade school programs. Dental assistant, radiology, vet tech, medical assistant, and coding are a few trades you may find scholarships. The Thomas T. and Christine Hegeman Wheatley Memorial Scholarship provides $800 in financial assistance for eligible Berks County, PA college students. Eligible applicants may use the funds to help pay for an education in EMT, paramedics, phlebotomy, or nursing.
Are you studying car care and mechanics as your preferred trade? An award open to New Mexico high school seniors is the Andrew Piech Memorial Scholarship. Eligible applicants may use the funds to cover required tools, equipment and tuition.
The construction trades include building and related fields. You may also find scholarships for trade school if you plan to be an electrician, plumber, HVAC, carpentry, brick layers and insulators. Scholarships in cosmetology may also offset the cost of learning about beauty and health.
Many culinary schools may offer technical scholarships. Related trades include food service and hospitality.
10 Scholarships for Trade School You Should Apply for in 2021
Hoping to kick start your career by learning a trade? Check out these 10 scholarships for vocational and trade school. If you meet eligibility rules, apply now!
Tylenol Future Care scholarship
Find your Drive Automotive Technician Scholarship
Veterans in Tech Scholarship
Friends of the California State Fair Scholarship Program
Miami Culinary Institute Scholarship
Pearl Lemon Scholarship
Buckfire & Buckfire, P.C. Paralegal Scholarship
Minerva Beauty Cosmetology Scholarship
American Legion Trade School Scholarship
Keller Cosmetology Scholarship Program
Are There Vocational Scholarships for Women?
Yes, there are various vocational scholarships for women that you may qualify for. The Women in the Skilled Trades Scholarship is for female trade school students studying refrigeration. It offers up to $3,000 based on financial need. The award is on a first come, first served basis. You also must be a female student attending The Refrigeration School or RSI.
What are the Benefits of Attending a Trade School vs Four Year College?
Many of today’s fastest growing careers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics may not require a four year degree. Instead, an associate degree, diploma or certificate from a trade or vocational school could provide the necessary skills and education for these in demand jobs. Wondering if this path is for you? Consider these benefits:
1. Affordability
A two year trade vs four year degree program typically costs less from the start. NCES reports the average total cost in 2018 to 2019, if you live off campus but not with family, a 2 year public school costs $18,300 vs $24,900 per year. That’s why you should consider applying for trade school scholarships if you qualify.
2. Technical degree programs may help get ready for the work force
Many technical colleges may also offer education programs to enter the workforce and start earning a salary earlier.
3. Vocational programs may boost your lifetime earnings
The more education you have, says the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the more money you are likely to earn. With a high school diploma, the median weekly earnings are $746 vs $887 with an associate’s degree in 2019. However, it’s slightly less with some college and no degree at $833 earnings.
4. Many trades are in demand
When a trade is in demand, it may mean more educational opportunity. For example, dental hygienists see a 6% job growth which is a faster outlook than the average for all occupations.
5. Earn your degree faster
Depending on your course of study and degree program, you may earn an associate’s degree in less than two years. If you were an undergraduate student or graduate student, it may take more than four years to earn your bachelor’s degree.
List of Trade School and Vocational Scholarships
Check out our list of vocational and trade school scholarships worth .
Vocational and Trade School Scholarships 2024 List
Murray Rossen always had a great passion for law. He was accepted to Yale Law School but attended St. John’s University since he could not afford Yale’s tuition. When it came time for Adam Rossen to attend law school, he needed a co-signer for his loans. Murray knew the opportunities a great education would have and co-signed. Without Murray Rossen, the Rossen Law Firm would not exist, nor would the years of dedicated legal service that Adam Rossen has put in to help the people of Florida.
The scholarship’s deadline is February 29, 2024, and offers an award of $1,000. We have designed a unique scholarship prompt to encourage creativity and innovation among applicants. We ask you to create a video about how you plan to use your education and skills to rock the criminal justice world. While the video must be at least two minutes long, we want to emphasize that there is no maximum length. We believe in allowing you to fully express your ideas and showcase your passion without any constraints.
By offering a video application format, we aim to provide a platform for applicants to showcase their passion and commitment to making a difference in the criminal justice system. We are excited to witness the diverse perspectives and innovative ideas that will shape the future of this field. Show us how you plan to rock the criminal justice world and seize this opportunity to be part of the change.
Attorney Chris Jones is passionate about working with South Carolina’s youth and has mentored young people who have gone through the foster care system. Attorney Jones believes strongly in supporting younger generations, especially those in need.
The foster care system has its challenges, but valuable lessons can be learned through those experiences. The Foster-ing Education Scholarship aims to support any student who has participated in the foster care system and is motivated to pursue their dreams. This scholarship is open to students pursuing higher education at a community college, trade school, or university level.
Students are asked to share their stories, the trials they overcame, the unique relationships they made, and how their childhood shaped them into who they are today.
This is a $2,500 scholarship award. The deadline to apply is October 31st. Continue reading below for more details.
At the Gillman Bruton Capone Law Group, we understand the importance of financial stability. Through the Smart Saving Scholarship, we will reward one individual who has developed smart saving habits with $1,000 towards their education.
Personal finance curriculum in public schools needs improvement. Most students go through high school without learning how to budget and save for the real world. Many young adults struggle with this, making their adjustment difficult to adulthood. Talking about finance, budgeting, and saving earlier is beneficial, leading to more people understanding the system and how to protect themselves.
Still, the most challenging part after learning how is putting lessons into practice. We admire anyone’s ability to set aside everyday temptations and focus on planning their future, especially financially. This is why we started the Smart Saving Scholarship. Through this scholarship, we would like to raise awareness of the importance of saving and budgeting and the practice of passing those lessons down to children. The Smart Saving Scholarship is intended to award a student who has learned the importance of saving and has come up with practical ways of saving in their daily life. Students are invited to share how they learned financial responsibility and any tips they would pass on to younger generations.
At Aaron & Co. Millwork, we firmly believe in investing in our community and the next generation of skilled tradesmen.
It is our goal to support these students by providing scholarships and mentoring opportunities – anything we can do to help those striving toward their goals. We want to encourage and inspire the young people who are working hard to enter the skilled trades. Many of these students face financial hurdles which might prevent them from attaining a higher level of education – that’s where our scholarship program comes in!
Together We Rise is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization comprised of motivated young adults and former foster youth. Our vision is to improve the lives of children in foster care, who often find themselves forgotten and neglected by the public. We collaborate with individuals, companies, and community partners to bring resources to foster youth and use service-learning activities to educate volunteers on issues surrounding the foster care system.
TWR works with hundreds of foster agencies, social workers, CASA advocates, and other partners to bring our programs to foster youth across the nation. Our foundation has allowed us to provide thousands of foster youth across the country with new bicycles, college supplies, and sweet cases so that children do not have to travel from home to home with their belongings in a trash bag.
Since 1998, Ford Trucks scholarships have connected local Ford Dealers to FFA members in their communities. Ford believes in offering extended education opportunities. More than $13 million in scholarships have been awarded by Ford Dealers across the nation and Ford Corporate. Ford will match a total of 414 scholarships from Ford Dealers and five nationwide that do not have a participating dealer.
In order to apply for this scholarship, students must meet the below criteria:
Must obtain a Ford Dealer electronic signature to qualify — opt-in for Ford.
Must be an FFA member.
Must be a high school senior or a collegiate student.
Must attend a vocational, two-year or four-year continuation of studies. Any major may apply.
Schneider Electric is offering a $2,500 scholarship grant for individuals pursuing training in building automation, security, IT, electrical, HVAC, construction maintenance or a building-related field. The company will award a total of twenty $2,500 grants to applicants in New York and New Jersey. The first deadline for 2022 is September 30. Winners will be notified within 5 weeks of the deadline.
NetJets, the global leader in private aviation, is proud to support the next generation of aviation maintenance professionals with this $50,000 Scholarship Fund. The NetJets Aviation Maintenance SkillPointe Scholarship will award five (5) $5,000 scholarships in both 2022 and 2023 for aviation maintenance technician education to individuals planning to earn their Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) License and work in eleven NetJets Service Hubs (below).
Ryan Orsatti Law is offering the community a $1,000 Positive Influence Scholarship! Students are asked to reflect on someone who was a positive influence in their life. The deadline to apply is April 30, 2023. To learn more about this opportunity, please visit their scholarship page.
Ryan Orsatti Law is offering the community a $1,000 Positive Influence Scholarship! Students are asked to reflect on someone who was a positive influence in their life. The deadline to apply is April 30, 2023. To learn more about this opportunity, please visit their scholarship page.
