Learn About College Scholarships for African American Students

It’s never too early to look at scholarships. Check out these scholarships for students to minimize or eliminate school debt.

Scholarships for Black students and numerous other awards are out there waiting. Don’t delay your search – exploring these opportunities now could be the key to minimizing or eliminating school debt. Browse the list below to uncover the scholarships that might transform your educational journey.

National Scholarships for Black High School Students

Blacks at Microsoft Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Must be a high school senior planning to attend a four-year college or university to pursue a bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, computer information systems, or business with a GPA of 3.3 or higher.  

The Reverend Dr. Matilda Dunn Scholarship

Deadline: Not yet specified
Description/Criteria: An Episcopalian or Anglican woman of color enrolled in a degree-granting institution in the United States as a community college student, undergraduate student, graduate student, or seminarian, and a non-traditional student.

Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.

Deadline: January
Description/Criteria: A graduating senior from an accredited high school with a 3.0 GPA on a four-point scale and a sincere aptitude for pursuing a career in aviation, aerospace technology, or research. 

USDA 1890 National Scholars Program

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Must be used at an 1890 Historically Black Land-Grant University. Each award provides full tuition, room and board, fees, and books for the scholarship term. Students must have at least a 21 ACT and 1080 SAT score and study agriculture, natural resource sciences, or related academic disciplines. 

Ron Brown Scholarship

Deadline: December
Description/Criteria: Applicants for the Ron Brown Scholarship must be Black/African American, US citizens or permanent residents, and current high school seniors at the time of their application. Recipients may use the renewable scholarships to attend an accredited four-year college or university in the United States.

Generation Google Scholarship

Deadline: April
Description/Criteria: The Generation Google Scholarship is for students majoring in computer engineering, computer science, or a closely related technical field—graduate or undergraduate degree. African American/Black students are strongly encouraged to apply.

Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship Award

Deadline: January
Description/Criteria: Must be a graduating, minority high school senior approved for a four-year institution within the United States with evidence of financial need. Have not accrued more than 25% of credits needed to graduate from college.

National FFA Scholarships

Deadline: January
Description/Criteria: Must be a high school senior or enrolled full-time in college, less than 23 years of age at the time of application, a current FFA member unless otherwise stated, and plan to attend post-secondary school in the US; eligibility varies among sponsors.

Hester Richardson Powell Memorial Service Scholarship

Deadline: February
Description/Criteria: For African American females who are seniors in high school with a 2.7 GPA or higher.

Blacks at Microsoft Scholarships

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Must be a high school senior planning to attend a four-year college or university to pursue a bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, computer information systems, or a business program with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Coca-Cola Foundation First Generation HBCU Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) and Coca-Cola Foundation are proud to offer financial assistance to outstanding first-generation college students attending one of TMCF’s member schools, which include 53 publicly supported HBCUs, HBCCs, PBIs, and medical and law schools.

Herbert Lehman Education Fund Scholarships for Blacks

Deadline: April
Description/Criteria: Scholarships are for high school seniors, recent high school graduates, and college freshmen dedicated to advancing the cause of civil rights. Students must be attending a 4-year accredited law school full-time.

Jack and Jill African American Scholarships

Deadline: June
Description/Criteria:  Offered to African American high school seniors planning to attend a four-year college full-time in any state. Must have a GPA of 3.0 or better. Dependents of a member of Jack and Jill are not eligible. Must have 60 hours of unpaid community service.

Mondelez International HBCU Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) and Mondelēz International are proud to offer financial assistance to outstanding students attending one of TMCF’s member schools that include 47 publicly-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs).

Maureen L. & Howard N. Blitman, P.E., Scholarship

Deadline: April
Description/Criteria: For high school seniors of ethnic background and US citizenship who have been accepted into an ABET-accredited engineering program at a four-year college or university.

Fontana Transport Inc. Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: This scholarship is for underrepresented first-generation high school seniors. You must have a minimum 3.5 weighted GPA and plan to pursue a degree in transportation management, math, science, engineering, architecture, environmental design, pre-med, psychology, or Spanish language/literature at an accredited university.

Related Article: Scholarships for African American students in Cincinnati

ACS Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: This scholarship is for high school seniors and college freshmen, sophomores, and juniors. Seniors can apply for their fifth year. Applicants must have a 3.0 GPA and plan to study in a chemistry-related field.

American Fire Sprinkler Association Scholarship Program

Deadline: January
Description/Criteria: Applicants must be high school seniors who plan to attend a US college, university, or certified trade school. Applicants receive one entry in the scholarship drawing for each question answered correctly.

Charles Shelton Foundation Scholarship

Deadline: April
Description/Criteria: This scholarship is for helping Black/African American students studying or wanting to study veterinary medicine or technology. Applicants must be graduating high school students or college students with a minimum 3.0 GPA.

Mary Margaret Kellogg Scholarship

Deadline: May
Description/Criteria: Must be an Episcopal student active in their church and attending one of the Episcopal Historically Black Colleges and Universities: St. Augustine’s in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Voorhees College in Denmark, South Carolina.

CURE Cancer Support Scholarship

Deadline: June
Description/Criteria: Scholarship is open to students diagnosed with cancer in childhood and whose disease and related treatments placed a significant financial burden on them and their families.

Debt.com Scholarship for Aggressive Scholarship

Deadline: February
Description/Criteria: Applicants must send proof they have applied to other scholarships and a letter explaining why they need the scholarship and their experience applying for scholarships. 

The Gates Scholarship

Deadline: September
Description/Criteria: Must be a high school senior who is African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian & Pacific Islander American, and/or Hispanic American, Pell-eligible, A US citizen, national, or permanent resident, and in good academic standing with a minimum cumulative weighted GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) while planning to enroll full-time, in a four-year degree program, at a US accredited, not-for-profit, private or public college or university.

BLM2

Deadline: July
Description/Criteria: Applicants must be graduating high school seniors with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Must be enrolled as a full-time student at an accredited college or university.

Horatio Alger Scholarships

Deadline: Rolling until all scholarships are awarded
Description/Criteria: The Horatio Alger Association provides scholarships for students who have demonstrated integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity. Other selection criteria include the strength of character, financial need, an excellent academic record (a GPA of 2.0 or higher), and a desire to contribute to society.

National Achievement Scholarships Program

Deadline: October
Description/Criteria: You must take the PSAT/NMSQT ® in the specified year of the high school program and no later than the third year in grades 9 through 12, regardless of grade classification or educational pattern, be enrolled as a high school student, progressing normally toward graduation or completion of high school; planning to enroll full time in college no later than the fall following completion of high school; and, be a citizen of the United States; or be a US lawful permanent resident (or have applied for permanent residence, the application for which has not been denied) and intend to become a US citizen at the earliest opportunity allowed by law.

Most Valuable Student Competition – Elks National Foundation

Deadline: December
Description/Criteria: For high school seniors who are citizens of the US and plan to attend a four-year US college or university full-time.

James W. McLamore WHOPPER Scholarship

Deadline: December
Description/Criteria:  For high school seniors with a minimum 2.0 GPA who plan to attend a four-year US college, university, or vocational-technical institute full-time.

National Scholarships for Black College Students

American Bus Association Scholarship

Deadline: Not yet specified
Description/Criteria: For undergraduate and graduate students with a declared major or course of study relevant to the travel and tourism industry. Applicants must demonstrate their diversity (this includes varying cultures, socioeconomic backgrounds, nationality, minorities, age, race, or ethnicity) to evaluators.

Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Scholarship

Deadline: April
Description/Criteria: For Black students who are US Citizens or permanent residents pursuing undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees. Must have a 2.5 on the 4.0 GPA scale.

Brown and Caldwell Minority Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Must be a full-time student in their junior, senior year, or graduate program at an accredited college/university. Applicants must have a declared major in civil, chemical, mechanical, electrical, or environmental engineering or one of the environmental sciences and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent on a 5.0 scale). Applicants must also identify as a member of a minority group.

Brown Girls Do Ballet College Scholarship

Deadline: June
Description/Criteria: Must be a full-time, female undergraduate college student of color across any field of study. Priority is given to applicants with a strong dance background and first-generation college students who demonstrate financial need.

Hertz Fellowship

Deadline: October
Description/Criteria: Applicants must be college seniors, first-year graduate students, or individuals in a gap year preparing to apply to graduate school who intend to pursue a PhD in the applied physical and biological sciences, mathematics, or engineering.

LAGRANT Foundation Scholarship

Deadline: February
Description/Criteria: Open to undergraduate students with a minimum GPA of 2.75 and graduate students with a minimum GPA of 3.2 who are US citizens or permanent residents. Must be an ethnic minority studying public relations, marketing, journalism, or advertising. Must be a US citizen or permanent resident and member of one of the following ethnic groups: African American/Black, Asian American/Pacific Islander.

ABF Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program

Deadline: Not yet specified
Description/Criteria: Must be an American citizen or a lawful permanent resident for sophomores and juniors majoring in social sciences or humanities with a 3.0 or higher GPA.

Altria HBCU Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Be enrolled full-time as an undergraduate student at a TMCF member school with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Must demonstrate a financial need.

Creme of Nature Legacy of Leadership Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Be enrolled full-time as an undergraduate student at a Historically Black Colleges and University (HBCU) with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Must demonstrate a financial need.

Dr. Blanca Moore-Velez Woman of Substance Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Must be an African American/Black female undergraduate student, age 35 and over, with a minimum 3.0 GPA.

Related Article: Interview Polishing Points

GCM Grosvenor HBCU Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Be enrolled full-time as an undergraduate student at a TMCF member school with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Must demonstrate a financial need.

Nike HBCU Scholarship

Deadline: March
Must be enrolled full-time as an undergraduate student at a select HBCU with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Must demonstrate a financial need.

Society of Exploration Geophysics Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Must be a high school student planning on entering college next fall or an undergraduate or graduate college student whose grades are above average and who intends to pursue a career in applied geophysics or a closely related field.

Related Article: Youth Education Programs in Cincinnati

The Agnes Jones Jackson Scholarship

Deadline: June
Description/Criteria: Must be a member of NAACP, have a minimum 3.00 GPA, and be a high school senior, undergraduate, or graduate student seeking an associate, bachelor’s, or graduate degree. Must demonstrate a financial need.

Earl Warren Scholarship

Deadline: June
Description/Criteria: Open to students enrolled in their first or second year of law school. Students must be enrolled at an accredited law school.

Related Article: The OOD Education Support Funds Helps Students with Disabilities Pursue Continued Education

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program

Deadline: October
Description/Criteria: Students must be enrolled in an eligible program at an accredited United States graduate institution with a US campus and have completed no more than twelve months of full-time graduate study (or the equivalent). Applicants must intend to pursue a research-based master’s or Ph.D. program in a GRFP-supported field. 

The Dow Jones News Fund Internship Programs

Deadline: November
Description/Criteria: For college juniors, seniors, and graduate students interested in press, communications, and editing.

Google Lime Scholarship

Deadline: April
Description/Criteria: A current undergraduate, graduate, or Ph.D. student enrolled at a university in the US or Canada pursuing a Computer Science or Computer Engineering degree. Applicants must maintain strong academic performance and have a visible or invisible disability.

Scholarships for African American STEM Majors

Cognizant Emerging Leaders Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Must be enrolled full-time as an undergraduate or graduate student at a TMF member school with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher. Must demonstrate a financial need.

J.M. Huber HBCU Scholarship Program

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Must be enrolled full-time as an undergraduate student at an HBCU with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Must demonstrate a financial need.

Jacobs HBCU Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Must be enrolled full-time as an undergraduate student at an HBCU with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Must demonstrate a financial need.

Medtronic Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Must be enrolled full-time as an undergraduate student at an HBCU with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Must demonstrate a financial need.

PPG Industries HBCU Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Must be enrolled full-time as an undergraduate student at a TMF member school with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Must demonstrate a financial need.

Verisk Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Must be enrolled full-time as a junior or senior at a TMF member school with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Must demonstrate a financial need.

WestRock HBCU Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Must be enrolled full-time as a sophomore, junior, or senior at an HBCU with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Must demonstrate a financial need.

Ford Blue Oval Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Must be enrolled full-time as an undergraduate student at a TMF member school with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Must demonstrate a financial need.

Scholarships for African American Business Majors

Deloitte Foundation HBCU Accounting Scholarship Program

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Must be a high school senior planning to an HBCU, a community college student transferring to an HBCU, or a full-time freshman or sophomore attending an HBCU majoring in accounting. Must demonstrate a financial need.

FedEx HBCU Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Must be enrolled full-time as an undergraduate student at a TMF member school with a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher. Must demonstrate a financial need.

NRG HBCU Excellence in Education Scholarship Program

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Must be enrolled as a junior at either Prairie View A&M University or Texas Southern University with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Must demonstrate a financial need.

Vanguard Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Must be a junior at a TMF member school with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Must demonstrate a financial need.

Scholarships for Black Sustainability Majors

HBCU Sustainable Communities Initiative Scholarship

Deadline: May
Description/Criteria: Scholarship applications are open to juniors and seniors from select HBCUs majoring in STEM, business, and sustainability-related disciplines. Applicants must have a 2.8 GPA or higher.

Scholarships for African American Nursing Majors

Dr. Lauranne Sams Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Must be a member of NBNA and a member of a local chapter currently enrolled in a nursing program. Applicants must have at least one year of school left.

George E. Mcguire Memorial Scholarship

Deadline: April
Description/Criteria: Must be a member of NBNA and a member of a local chapter currently enrolled in a nursing program. Applicants must have at least one year of school left.

Scholarships for Black Graduate Students

Betterhelp Graduate Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Be enrolled full-time as a graduate student at an HBCU or PBI, majoring in counseling, psychology, social work, or marriage and family therapy. Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher and demonstrate a financial need.

The Conagra Refuse to Lose Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Must be a junior, senior, or MBA graduate student at a TMF member school with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Must demonstrate a financial need.

CVS Aetna HBCU Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Must be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate or graduate student at a TMF-member school with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Must demonstrate a financial need.

Medtronic Foundation Graduate Scholarship

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Be enrolled full-time as a graduate or PhD-level student at an HBCU with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Must demonstrate a financial need.

Palo Alto Networks Cyber Scholars Program

Deadline: March
Description/Criteria: Must be enrolled full-time as an undergraduate or a graduate student at an HBCU with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher. Must demonstrate a financial need.

Sanofi Next Gen Scholarship

Deadline: May
Description/Criteria: Must be enrolled full-time as an undergraduate or a graduate student at an HBCU with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Must demonstrate a financial need.

Scholarship Databases

Congressional Black Caucus Foundation

Federal Scholarships & Aid Gateways 25 Scholarship Gateways from Black Excel

Microsoft Scholarship Program

National Merit Scholarship Program

National Society for Professional Engineers

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Internships, Scholarships, and Fellowships

Ohio Association of Career Colleges and Schools

Ron Brown Scholar Program

Scholarship & Financial Aid Help!

Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund

Additional College Financial Aid, Assistance, and Coaching for African American Students

@thescholarbudget

This account posts scholarships, information about applying for scholarships, and financial advice.

@federalstudentaid

This account is the official account for FAFSA and has resources for information about the federal student aid process.

@collegescholarshipsandgrants

This account posts scholarships and shares information about FAFSA and different forms of financial aid.

@scholarshipmoneyforstudents

This account posts scholarships specific to career paths and days for scholarship workshops.

@seedsoffortune

This is the official account of Seeds of Fortune, a non-profit organization that offers scholarships, information about financial literacy, and internships.

@kdcollegeprep

This account helps improve your test scores and offers test prep.

@collegeprepguide

This account is run by college students who give advice about high school and first-hand accounts about college life.

Related Article: Teen summer jobs hiring now

@hbculifestyle

This account posts about HBCU programs and scholarships.

@awborders

This is the official account for Athletes Without Borders, a program that combines sports with STEM to help develop a foundation for future learning.

@HBCU20x20

This official account for the HBCU 20×20 connects African American college students with internships and alumni with jobs.

@greatyop1

This account is the official account of Great Youth Opportunities, an organization that discusses scholarships, internships, and other opportunities for youth.

The Voice of Black Cincinnati is a media company designed to educate, recognize, and create opportunities for African Americans. Want to find local news, events, job postings, scholarships, and a database of local Black-owned businesses? Visit our homepage, explore other articles, subscribe to our newsletter, like our Facebook page, join our Facebook group, and text VOBC to 513-966-3328.

Image provided by Adobe Stock