Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Support Award Last Chance
Offered by Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation
About This Scholarship
Named for Patsy Takemoto Mink — the first woman of color elected to the U.S. House and a co-author of Title IX — this award supports a group with almost no dedicated scholarship money: low-income mothers pursuing education. The Patsy Takemoto Mink Education Foundation, established in 2003 after the congresswoman's death, makes five Education Support Awards of up to $5,000 each year.
Eligibility is tightly defined. Applicants must be women at least 17 years old, mothers with minor children, and enrolled full-time in a degree or training program at an accredited nonprofit U.S. institution. Income limits are strict — under $21,640 for a family of two, $27,320 for a family of three, and $33,000 for a family of four — so the award genuinely reaches students in financial hardship.
The money is disbursed in two semester installments and can cover living expenses as well as direct school costs, a flexibility most scholarships don't offer. Selection weighs financial need, personal circumstances, educational path, occupational goals, and service or civic goals, and awardees are notified in late fall.
Eligibility
- Woman at least 17 years old who is a mother with minor children
- Low-income (roughly under $21,640 annual family income for a family of two, scaled by family size)
- Enrolled in a degree program at a postsecondary level (undergraduate through doctoral)
- Attending an accredited, nonprofit U.S. institution
How To Apply
- Complete the online application at patsyminkfoundation.org, including personal statements about your circumstances and goals
- Submit by the annual summer deadline (August 1 for the 2026-27 award year)
Frequently Asked Questions
How are winners chosen?
Selection weighs financial need, personal circumstances as a mother, educational goals, and civic or activist commitments — it rewards perseverance and purpose, not GPA.