Scholarships Available for your Minority Students

In addition to general awards based on location, discipline, merit, and financial need, many scholarships exist that specifically help minority students achieve their dreams of attending college. In addition to those highlighted below, students should conduct additional research to find funding opportunities that meet their needs.

Scholarships specifically available for students of Arab, Middle Eastern & North African descent:

  • AAWBC Scholarship The Arab American Women’s Business Council provides $1,000 scholarships to Arab American females pursuing business or related studies at the undergraduate level. Applications are due October 12.
  • American Federation of Ramallah Palestine Scholarship The AFRP offers this scholarship, which varies in amounts, to Palestinian and Palestinian American students who demonstrate financial need. Applications are due May 1.
  • Arab-American Scholarship The Network of Arab-American Professionals offers students $1,000 if they maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher and are of Arab heritage. Applications are due January 18.
  • Dr. Adawia Alousi Scholarship This award of up to $10,000 exists for Muslim women studying STEM topics, with special consideration given to immigrants and refugees. Applications are due in the spring.
  • Ibn Battuta Scholarship for Peace & Diplomacy The Qalam Center offers this scholarship for individuals to take part in a language intensive courses designed to teach them Arabic. The $4,200 semester-long scholarship covers all tuition and housing. Six deadlines exist throughout the year.
  • Ibn Sina Endowed Scholarship Wayne State University provides this award to Arab American students enrolled in the School of Medicine. The amount varies each year and students are automatically entered into consideration when submitting their admissions application.
  • Jack G. Shaheen Mass Communications Scholarship The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee offers this $2,500 scholarship to American citizens of Arab descent who are working towards a mass communications degree. Applications are due June 8.
  • Khalaf Family Scholarship The Center for Arab American Philanthropy oversees this award, which provides $2,500 to students of Arab American heritage are are studying engineering. Applications are due in the spring.
  • Lebanese American Heritage Center Scholarship This award, offered by the LAHC, provides funding to high school, undergraduate, and graduate students, with individual awards varying by amount. Applications are due by March 26.
  • Russell J. Ebeid Scholarship for Arab American Students The Center for Arab American Philanthropy awards $5,000 to students pursuing bachelor’s degrees in engineering or business studies at Kettering University. Applications are due February 17.

Scholarships available for Black/African American students:

  • Acel Moore Scholarship for Community Journalism The National Association of Black Journalists provides this $3,000 scholarship to undergraduate and graduate journalism majors. Applications are due April 16.
  • Agnes Jones Jackson Scholarship Administered by the NAACP, this $2,000 scholarship exists for members who demonstrate financial need and maintain GPAs of 2.5 or higher. Applications are due in the spring.
  • Blacks At Microsoft Scholarships Microsoft provides two renewable $5,000 scholarships per year to African American, African, and Ethiopian learners who plan to study a STEM or business topic. Applications are due March 8.
  • Center for Advancing Opportunity Undergraduate Research Scholarship Administered via the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, this $75,000 scholarship exists for full-time students attending HBCUs who study an approved discipline. Applications are due February 3.
  • David Porter Need-Based Diversity Scholarship IES Abroad offers a $5,000 award to African American students who want to study abroad but lack the funds to do so. Applications are due May 1 and November 1.
  • Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship This award, which gives preference to female minority students, is administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and provides up to $42,000 annually. Applications are due December 17.
  • George Washington Carver Scholarship This academic fund supplies up to $10,000 to African American students enrolling in an approved subject at an HBCU. Applications are due in the spring.
  • Hercules Scholarship The Tom Joyner Foundation provides these awards to African American male high school graduates beginning their first year of studies at an HBCU. Scholarships offer a full ride, with applications due in the spring.
  • NABA Scholarships The National Association of Black Accountants provides 50 annual scholarships of up to $5,000 to African American learners working towards an accounting degree. Applications are due December 15.
  • NBMBAA Graduate Merit Scholarship The National Black MBA Association offers up to $10,000 per year to learners accepted to the University of Alabama’s MBA program. Applications are due January 31.

Scholarships available for Native Americans/Alaska natives:

  • American Indian College Fund Full Circle Scholarship Ford provides these scholarships to students with tribal affiliation who plan to enroll full-time in a diploma, associate, bachelor’s, or graduate degree. Amounts vary and applications are due May 31.
  • American Indian Undergraduate Scholarship The American Indian Education Fund provides this renewable $2,000 scholarship to individuals who can provide proof of tribal enrollment alongside ACT and GPA scores. Applications are due April 4.
  • DAR American Indian Scholarship The Daughters of the American Revolution offers this $4,000 award to Native Americans with 3.25 or higher GPAs and demonstrable financial need. Applications are due February 15.
  • Health Professions Scholarship The Indian Health Service makes available this scholarship to American Indian and Alaska Native students who plan to study a medicine-related topic at the bachelor’s level. Award amounts vary and applications are due May 15.
  • Lonnie Lee & Maria Elena Abernethy Native Americans in Engineering Scholarship This award, administered by the Society of Women Engineers, is given to undergraduate and graduate females of Native American descent. Awards total $2,900 and are renewable, with applications due February 5.
  • The Native American Scholarship The Continental Society Daughters of Indian Wars provides a $5,000 annual scholarship to enrolled tribal members who plan to work in a nation or tribe to provide education or social services. Applications are due June 15.
  • Science Post Graduate Scholarship The American Indian Graduate Center offers up to $20,000 to undergraduate and $30,000 to graduate students completing STEM degrees who are enrolled in a federally recognized tribe. Applications are due June 1.
  • Truman D. Picard Scholarship The Intertribal Timber Council offers this award to Native American students pursuing a degree in natural resources or a related topic. Learners may receive up to $2,500, with applications due March 15.
  • Udall Undergraduate Scholarship The Udall Foundation provides up to 50 scholarships of $7,000 each to Native American sophomores and juniors who have a demonstrated history of public service, leadership, and championing the interests and rights of American Indian nations. Applications are due March 4.
  • Wells Fargo Scholarship for Undergraduates This $5,000 award exists for full-time students of American Indian or Alaska Native heritage who maintain GPAs of 2.7 or higher. Applications are due May 1.

Scholarships available for Hispanic/Latino students:

  • Alliance/Merck Ciencia Hispanic Scholars Program The National Alliance for Hispanic Health oversees this $2,000 award to Hispanic learners pursuing a bachelor’s degree in a subject related to technology. Applications must be in by spring.
  • ALPFA Scholarship The Association of Latino Professionals for America offers scholarships to undergraduate and graduate learners working towards degrees in topics ranging from accounting and computer systems to engineering and education. Amounts vary, but applications are due June 8.
  • AMS Minority Scholarship The American Meteorological Society offers this award to Hispanic students working towards a degree in meteorological studies. Awards are for $6,000 over two years. Applications must be sent by February 8.
  • Aurelio “Larry” Jazo Migrant Scholarship The Geneseo Migrant Center provides $1,000 to undergraduate students who were employed as migrant farmworkers and recently migrated to Illinois. Applications are due February 1.
  • HENAAC Scholarship This award of up to $10,000, provided via Great Minds in STEM, exists for Hispanic STEM undergraduate students attending college on a full-time basis. Applications are due April 30.
  • The Hispanic Nurses Scholarship The National Association of Hispanic Nurses, in partnership with the United Health Foundation, offers Hispanic nurses in training a renewable $5,000 award for undergraduate studies. Applications are due April 3.
  • Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholarship HSF awards scholarships of up to $5,000 to individuals of Hispanic heritage who are pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees. They must meet GPA requirements and send applications by April 2.
  • LULAC National Scholarship This $2,000 award exists to help empower Latino learners working toward an undergraduate business degree. Applications are due in the spring.
  • Opportunity Scholarship TheDream.US provides scholarships for DREAMers/DACA recipients to attend college. The award covers up to $80,000 in expenses. Applications are due in the spring.
  • SHPE Scholarship The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers provided more than $250,000 in scholarships during the most recent round of awards and hopes to increase that number for next year. Applicants must be of Hispanic heritage and submit applications by June 15.

Scholarships available for Asian/Pacific Islander students:

  • Anna Chennault Scholarship The Asian American Journalists Association provides $5,000 scholarships to students of Asian American/Pacific Islander heritage. Applications are due by April 22.
  • Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship This award exists for individuals living at or below the poverty line who are first generation college students. Applications are due January 10, with those selected receiving varying amounts.
  • Banatao Family Filipino American Education Scholarship This scholarship provides up to $20,000 over four years to incoming students pursuing degrees in STEM topics. They must live in California and submit applications by February 26.
  • Central California Asian Pacific Women General Scholarship This award exists for Asian Pacific women from Fresno County, California who study at the undergraduate or graduate level. Applications are due April 30 and award amounts vary.
  • Chi Am Scholarship The Chi Am Circle Club provides this award to high school seniors of Asian descent who live in California. Awards range from $1,000 to $5,000 and applications are due March 9.
  • Lapiz Family Scholarship The Asian Pacific Fund administers this $2,000 renewable scholarship made available to undergraduate learners who are farm workers or the children of farm workers. Applications are due April 26.
  • Matt Fong Asian Americans in Public Finance Scholarship Incoming sophomores, juniors, or seniors studying accounting, political science, public policy, or business can apply to this non-renewable award of $5,000. Applications are due April 1.
  • The Tang Scholarship Provided via the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, this award exists for LGBTQ learners with at least 25 percent Asian/Pacific Islander heritage. Scholarship amounts vary and applications are due April 30.
  • UH-OHA Ho’ona’auao Higher Education Scholarship The University of Hawaii offers this scholarship to Native Hawaiians who are the first in their family to attend college. Undergraduates receive $1,000 and graduate students receive $3,000. Scholarship applications are due with general admissions applications.
  • USPAACC Scholarship The U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce provides 15-20 scholarships per year of up to $5,000. Applicants must write an essay, provide proof of financial need, and ask for letters of recommendation. Applications are due March 29.

This list of scholarships was compiled by Affordable Colleges Online. They have also put together a guide that outlines the steps to finding & getting scholarships and grants. Here is a link to that guide and the complete list of scholarships: https://www.affordablecollegesonline.org/financial-aid-for-minorities/

November 21, 2020 – Update – Here is a link to un updated list of Scholarships for Healthcare and Nursing Students of Historically Underrepresented Groups compiled by Premier Nursing Academy that might be useful – https://www.premiernursingacademy.org/resources/bipoc-marginalized-student-scholarships