Scholarships For Domestic Violence Survivors

Last Updated on January 15, 2024 by Lori Pace

We love when women overcome challenges, and giving scholarships to victims of domestic violence is an amazing way to give these women their power back. It can be empowering and liberating when a domestic violence survivor chooses to further their academic education. Achieving an academic qualification can be life-changing in the best ways. 

Several organizations aim to help you achieve your academic goals by taking off some financial burdens. Gaining an academic qualification will help you become financially stable and be on the way to having financial freedom and living a better life with a great job. 

4 Amazing Domestic Violence Scholarships

Women’s Independence Scholarship Program (WISP)

Since 1999 WISP, has helped women who are survivors of domestic violence in overcoming financial barriers of furthering their academic education. The program believes that it is important to gain an academic qualification to have a better job and become financially independent. 

The program aims to aid women experiencing the most financial challenges and need this scholarship to gain their academic qualifications—specifically, single mothers who have more financial responsibilities. 

Scholarship Amount:

• Starting at $500 to $2,000 per school term.

Scholarship Eligibility:

• Identify as female
• A survivor of domestic violence
• Have been separated from the abuser for one year but not more than seven years
• Citizen or a permanent resident of the US
• Applied to an accredited US institution (Not sure if your institution is accredited? Check on Department of Education)
• Low-income status

Application Requirements:

• Planned institution or current institution contact information
• Your educational history
• A list of courses that you will be attending 
• A list of your monthly income and expenses 
• Tuition expenses
• Financial Aid
• Income Tax Return 
• Narrative questions to answer

Check out more information on WISP’s application requirements and processes. 

Awardee Criteria:

• Critically low-income status (Unable to cover living expenses)
• A goal to achieve your academic qualification  
• A well-researched plan focused on how you will re-enter the job market and advance your career.

When completing the application form, there may be questions that you find difficult to answer; if you do, please feel free to contact your advocate to help you out.

Applications will be available from the 1st of January 2022; check out more information about the scholarship on the WISP website.

Meena Vashee Endowed Scholarship

This scholarship aims to help the University of Washington undergraduate students who are survivors of domestic violence or are the child of domestic violence survivors. 

Scholarship Amount: 

• $2,000

Scholarship Eligibility:

• Survivor of domestic violence or the child of a domestic violence survivor 
• Low financial status
• Currently enrolled as an undergraduate student at the University of Washington. 
• Good academic record

Application Requirements:

• Confidential, verifiable documentation of being a survivor of domestic violence (It may be difficult to produce this documentation, contact the Women’s Centre for help.)
• Personal essay
• Honors and awards
• Community service and extracurricular activities
• Leadership experience

Awardee Criteria:

• Academic achievement 
• Financial need
• Passion for academic growth 

Applications open on the 30th of May 2021; download an application form. Check out the University of Washington’s website for more information.

Soroptimist Live Your Dreams Scholarships 

The Soroptimist organization offers the Live Your Dream Awards. The organization aims to help women improve their academic and careers by providing resources. Half of The Live Your Dream Awards are awarded to women who have overcome or are overcoming tough obstacles.

The organization provides 1,7000 women worldwide with educational awards totaling more than $2.8 million each year. 

Scholarship Amount: 

There are three levels of cash rewards these include:

• Club-Level: $1,000
• Region-Level: $5,000
• Internationalist Finalists: $10,000

To see more information on the award levels, check out the Soroptimist website.

Scholarship Eligibility:

• You are the primary financial provider in your family
• Enrolled in a training program or an undergraduate degree program 
• A citizen of the Soroptimist International of the America countries
• Has financial need
• Has not previously won a Soroptimist Live your Dream Award
• Not a member or an employee of the Soroptimist International group

Application Requirements:

• Connect to a Soroptimist club or partner in your local community.
• Activate your Soroptimist account 
• Complete the eligibility form
• Complete the application online 
• Your contact information 
• A list of references (Cannot be family members)
• A personal statement 

Awardee Criteria:

• Motivated to achieve your academic goals 
• You cannot have a graduate qualification or degree

You may use the sponsorship to cover any financial costs related to the recipient’s tuition fees, academic-related costs, childcare, and transportation costs. 

Check out more information about the Live Your Dreams Scholarships on the Soroptimist website.

Arellano Scholarships For Survivors Of Domestic Violence 

This scholarship is named after the generous Donor’s father, Arnold Arellano. Mr. Arellano believed that love does not harm and women should be loved and respected.

The Donor has partnered up with the Arizona State University Foundation to help survivors of domestic violence improve their academic future to improve their lives. 

Scholarship Amount:

• Varies

Scholarship Eligibility:

• A survivor of domestic violence 
• In financial need
• Minimum GPA 3.00
• Academic level eligible; incoming first-year student, incoming transfer student, first-year student, sophomore, junior or senior. 
• Arizona resident or Non-Arizona resident 

Application Requirements:

• Document referencing domestic violence from a counselor or member of the clergy
• Submission of Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the scholarship deadline

Awardee Criteria:

• In financial need with the goal of achieving an academic qualification to secure a better job

The sponsorship deadline is usually during mid-March. The Donor of the sponsorship will review the finalist’s application and select the awardee.

To find more information on the sponsorship, you can check out the Arizona State University website. 

Alternative Domestic Violence Scholarships 

It is completely okay if you are not comfortable sharing that you are a domestic violence survivor. However, this does not mean that you cannot find an alternative scholarship that suits you and help you achieve your financial goals. All you have to do is take some action and do a little research to find a scholarship that suits you. You can check out more scholarships on our website. 

There are also alternative resources available in achieving your academic goals, such as grants and even tuition-free online modules. Therefore, there are plenty of resources out there to help you meet all your goals.