mom with teenage sons on either side

Over the past 36 years, Champlain College’s Single Parents Program has helped low-income single parents achieve their dreams through post-secondary education.

Being a single parent and going back to college can be a life dream; it can also be stressful. To help, Champlain College offers the Single Parents Scholarship to eligible parents.

For our Single Parent scholars, a Champlain education helps break the cycle of poverty and allows the next generation to see college both as a possibility and a reality. Additionally, our community of support allows students to focus on their academics and be secure in the knowledge that they are not alone on this journey.

One of Champlain’s longest standing scholarship programs, and one of only eleven such programs across the country, the Single Parents Program has provided life-changing support and advocacy for more than 650 Single Parent scholars to date.

This comprehensive scholarship offers Single Parent scholars a multi-dimensional support system that sets the stage for success academically, financially, and personally. Single Parents Program support includes:

  • Career counseling
  • Peer-to-peer advising
  • Educational seminars about financial aid, parenting, healthy relationships, and other relevant topics
  • Tuition assistance intended to fill the gap from traditional funding sources and the full cost of tuition
  • Special holiday and graduation celebrations to build and reinforce a sense of community
  • A Save-the-Day Emergency Fund

Financial Aid Package for Single Parent Scholars

Tuition & Fees (2021-2022) Federal & State Aid Need per Student
$42,984 – $13,195 = $29,789

Our Single Parent scholars exhaust all state and federal assistance available. Unfortunately, a significant gap remains. You are instrumental in allowing Champlain to hold firm to our commitment to bridging this gap through the Single Parents Program.

Quick Facts:

  • Since 1987, more than 650 students have graduated from the Single Parents Program.
  • Students in the Single Parents Program have a remarkable 88% persistence to graduation rate.
  • In 2023, $403,448 was invested in 16 Single Parent Scholars.

In Their Own Words

  • “Being a single parent and attending school full time can be challenging. Without the support I received, facing these obstacles alone could easily become too overwhelming to succeed academically.”
    — Single Parents Program, Business student

  • “I am fortunate enough to lead by example, to show my daughter that dreams can come true, goals are something to be set and achieved, and that hard work and dedication can greatly enhance our possibilities.”
    — Single Parents Program, Social Work student

The Single Parent Scholarship changed my life in so many ways. I was here to get all that was possible out of my education, and to use it every day to make a difference. You gave me the opportunity to learn about myself, grow professionally, and finally work towards my dream.
Fexhrije Ilazi
Fexhrije Ilazi, Paralegal studies

Thank you for making the dreams of these deserving students come to life.