Frequently Asked Questions — Adult Scholarships
Our scholarships to career and technical colleges can be a great fit for adults who are ready for a career change or finally have time for secondary education. Career colleges and vocational schools can be a good choice if you already have enough on your plate, and you don't want to spend any more time in school than necessary. That doesn't mean getting a lower-quality education, but it can mean pursuing a skill-focused program that can be completed in one to two years. That can be much more appealing to adults with busy family and personal lives. What's more, career colleges tend to offer hands-on training, so you can be confident in your ability to change things up in your professional life.
It really just takes a few minutes to become an Imagine America member and start your scholarship to career college for adults application. Whether you want to enroll in a technical education program geared toward information technology or develop business or medical-related skills, our scholarships and resources can help.
Take a few moments to review the links below to learn more about deadlines, requirements and other questions that adult learners who need scholarships to trade schools might want to know. And once you submit your application, jump over to our Road Map to Student Success to make sure you stay in the fast lane toward new career skills and job opportunities!
Got a question? We have answers!
Prospective enrolling Imagine America ASEP students who are applicants must meet the following guidelines:
- Be enrolling in a participating college
- Meet eligibility requirements of the college
- Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Be at least 19 years of age and have a high school diploma, GED or pass an Ability to Benefit test
- Not be a previous recipient of any other Imagine America Foundation scholarships/awards
- Complete the NCCT Educational Success Potential Assessment
The deadline is Dec. 31. ASEP begins on Jan. 1 of each calendar year. We recommend you apply three months before you enroll or start college.
- To apply for an Imagine America scholarship, you must become an Imagine America member at www.iafportal.org.
- Click the “Create an Account” button to have access to our scholarships. Select the option (student, alumnus/alumna or job seeker) that applies to you. Follow the screen prompts to access your profile.
- After creating your account, you will then be prompted to fill out your profile. You MUST fill out your profile before applying for a scholarship.
- Once you have completed your profile, search for scholarships using the “Scholarship Program” and “State” filters.
- Review and apply for your scholarship. Complete the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT) Student Success Assessment.
- Make sure to watch the entire Financial Planning Made Simple (FPMS) video. Scholarship applications can only be approved if the applicant has viewed the FPMS video from start to finish.
- Once you’ve completed these steps, check your application status by clicking on the “My Applications” tab on the left navigation bar.
- All Imagine America applicants will need to complete the Financial Planning Made Simple video tutorial to receive your award letter and certificate.
Check Out Our Financial Planning Made Simple (FPMS) Tool!
What's so cool about our FPMS tool? First of all, students who are interested in scholarships to trade schools can be too busy to learn all the ins and outs of financial aid options and planning. That's where this handy tool comes in. All you have to do is watch (and pay close attention to) the video, which gives tips about effectively managing the budgeting process. Learning how to create a budget — and stick to it — is crucial to prevent unnecessary stress during your training.
So kick back and watch our FPMS video to get a glimpse at how we help adult students plan for the responsibility of paying for career college training.
Want to apply? Download our free mobile app.
The IAF app delivers tools and resources perfect for students of all ages — as well as high school counselors, career college administrators, and college and university administrators. Matching your school with scholarship opportunities, applying to your school and even checking your application status have never been easier.
