There are many resources available to women who have decided to go back to school after taking time off, who are in need of skill building to improve career options, or who are starting college at a non-traditional age. The best place to start is the financial aid office at the school you are planning to attend. In addition to providing you with information about paying for school, they often have information about programs that will provide child care or book stipends. The phone number for the financial aid office at each college in New Hampshire is found at the end of this directory.

Many schools now have courses and programs specifically designed to meet the needs of the non-traditional student. These include Continuing Education Providers, Distance Education, and Part-time Degree Programs. You may want to explore if your school of interest offers these options.

Continuing Education Providers: These universities and colleges offer programs that include credit and non-credit courses, certificate programs, and night courses.

Distance Education: More and more universities and colleges offer courses in an array of distance learning media, including holding classes over the internet.

Part-time Degree Programs: In these programs, students can take courses at night and on weekends, often with a substantial portion of the coursework on-line.

If your schooling will be related to your job, ask the human resource officer if your employer has a tuition reimbursement program that will pay for some, or all, of the costs of your education. You should also explore with your school if you can reduce costs by gaining credit through CLEP exams, life experience, work experience, or by transferring previous educational credits.

Below is a list of organizations that have scholarships and resources specifically for non-traditional students. In addition to this list, be sure to look at the information in the resource section above! A special note for TANF recipients: talk to your case worker about the possibility of fulfilling work hours while attending school, as well as reimbursements for school books and supplies.

New Hampshire Technical Institute
Each site of the New Hampshire Community Technical Colleges has academic and financial support services specifically for single parents, single pregnant women, displaced homemakers, and TANF recipients. The program provides assistance beyond typical financial aid to help qualified students pay for costs related to pursuing an education, such as tuition and fees, books and supplies, travel, and child care expenses. To get more information on this and other programs for non-traditional students, contact the main financial aid office.
Contact:
New Hampshire Technical Institute
31 College Drive
Concord, NH 03301-7412
(603) 271-7135
E-mail

Women Work! National Network for Women's Employment
Women Work! is a national network of agencies and educational institutions providing resources to women looking for education and job training services. The programs assist single parent and displaced homemakers who are making the transition from home to work for the first time as well as those who are re-entering or retraining for the workforce. Programs differ, but most offer career counseling, skills training, and adult literacy classes.

North

Assisting People in Transition
NH Community Tech College
2020 Riverside Drive
Berlin, NH 03570
(603) 752-1113

Central

Second Start
17 Knight Street
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 228-1341

Transitions

NH Tech Institute
31 College Drive
Concord, NH 03301-7412
(603) 271-6983

Seacoast

Dover Adult Learning Center
206 Roxbury Street
Dover, NH 03821
(603) 742-1030

COMPASS/ COMPASS Youth

Rockingham Community Action
7 Junkins Avenue
Portsmouth, NH 03801
(603) 431-2916

Project Success
277 Portsmouth Avenue
Stratham, NH 03885
(603) 772-1194 x319

West

Step by Step Career Guidance
69Z Island Street
Keene, NH 03431
(603) 358-3753

South

Project PLACE
Nashua Adult Learning Center
4 Lake Street
Nashua, NH 03060
(603) 882-9080

Project Redirection CORE
New Hampshire Community Tech College
505 Amherst Street
Nashua, NH 03061
(603) 882-6923 x1449

Project STRIDE

NH Community Technical College
1066 Front Street
Manchester, NH 03102
(603) 668-6706 x248

For more information:

Back to Collge - This web site is directed to adults who are planning to return to college. The site provides information on various topics including admissions, financial aid, and career planning.

Adult Student Center - A wealth of information for adults planning to return to college, the site includes a page with resources specifically for women.