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The Best Colleges for Student-Parents

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If you’re a pregnant or parenting student, a support system can make it much easier for you to finish your education. This can include special housing, childcare, financial help, mentoring, and more. This article will highlight a few colleges that offer exceptional resources for student-parents.

  • Texas Woman’s University (TWU) is the nation’s best college for parenting students, according to BestColleges. They offer:
    • Family housing with 2-3 bedrooms and a fridge, stove, and dishwasher for full-time students with children.
    • Two food pantries on campus, which students can visit weekly.
    • Three lactation rooms on campus.
    • A student organization called Student Parents Also Raising Kids, which creates a community of student-parents and offers family-friendly activities.
    • A holiday gift program that matches anonymous donors with children of TWU students.
    • Family graduation ceremonies to allow children to participate in their parents’ graduation.
    • The average cost to attend TWU after financial aid, including housing, is $11,627. Pell-eligible students who are Texas residents are guaranteed to have all financial need met. 
  • The University of North Texas (UNT) also provides various support programs for student-parents. This includes:
    • Free childcare, pet care, senior care, and educational programs through the Complete Care program.
    • Five on-campus lactation rooms.
    • A food pantry that eligible students can visit weekly.
    •  Children’s programs, financial education programs, and other programs that benefit parenting students. 
    • The average cost to attend UNT after financial aid, including housing, is $11,915 per year. UNT provides scholarships, grants, financial aid, loans, and payment plans to make this more affordable. 
  • Wilson College in Pennsylvania was recognized by The Best Colleges as the 2020 best school for single parents. This small, private, rural college provides:
    • A child care center on campus. 
    • Year-round family housing for student-parents. 
    • Various family group activities through the Single Parent Scholar Program.
    • 13 academic scholarships, as well as five endowments specifically to fund childcare for single parents.
    • Wilson costs $22,200 to attend after financial aid, on average. However, Wilson is dedicated to meeting students’ financial need and offers significant aid to low-income students.  
  • St. Catherine University, a private women’s college in Minnesota, won Generation Hope’s FamilyU Seal, which honors schools that exceptionally support student-parents. It also ranks third on The Best Colleges’ 2020 list of the best schools for single parents. It offers:
    • A College for Adults, which offers flexible online or hybrid courses. It also offers accelerated programs and other accommodations for your schedule.
    • The St. Catherine’s Access and Success program, which helps student-parents find local child care, food banks, scholarships, housing, and more.
    • An Early Childhood Center, a Montessori program, and babysitting on campus. 
    • Lactation rooms and study spaces attached to playrooms.
    • The average net price to attend St. Catherine’s is $19,252 per year, after financial aid. The university offers scholarships, need-based aid, and low-interest loans.
  • George Mason University (GMU), a large public university in Fairfax, Virginia also won Generation Hope’s FamilyU award for their services to student-parents. Its services include:
    • A website for student-parents that offers parenting resources, community resources, financial assistance, and information about student-parents’ rights.
    • The Mason Child Development Center, which offers a play-based preschool program on campus. It also offers childcare for older children when school isn’t in session. GMU families receive tuition discounts. 
    • The Mason Adult Student Union, to provide support for adult and non-traditional students. 
    • Affordable healthcare to all students and free visits to GMU’s healthcare providers. 
    • Connecting student-parents to organizations and parenting classes. 
    • The average cost of attendance, including housing, is $18,841 per year after aid. However, in-state tuition is significantly lower, even before financial aid. Also, GMU connects its students with scholarships specifically for student-parents, along with other financial resources. 

These are just a few of the colleges with strong support systems for parenting students. To find other parenting-friendly colleges, you can see other recipients of the FamilyU Award here. If paying for your education is a concern, you can find scholarships specifically for student-parents here. And finally, check out the articles in the “Learn” section of this helpsite for more resources. You can find the support you need to finish your degree as a parent!

By Clare Hettich 

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