While most U.S. college students rely on financial aid and scholarships to help them pay for higher education, BestColleges.com claims many African American students struggle with higher-education affordability including facing less financial aid availability at the institutional or collegiate level.
JUMP TO HBCU SCHOLARSHIPS
Minority students are also more commonly first-generation college students. These circumstances, in combination with fewer Black students completing and filing the FAFSA, are likely attributing factors leading them to resort to student loans to pay for college.
Students, regardless of race, should apply for and renew their FAFSA annually. Federal student aid should be considered the primary method of funding college, followed by scholarships and grants. Student loans should be the last approach to paying for college.
High School students considering enrolling at a HBCU, and current minority students attending an HBCU have unique scholarship opportunities to help them pay for school.
Award Amount: $10,000 The Future of STEM Scholarship Initiative is available to high school seniors who are planning to attend an HBCU. You must be planning to major in a STEM field and have a minimum 3.0 GPA to be eligible for this award. Recipients of this award will also receive internship preparation and placement, leadership training, mentoring, and access to the AIChE student networking opportunities.
Award Amount: $20,000 The Gucci Changemakers Scholarship Program is open to graduating high school seniors and currently enrolled undergraduate students who are pursuing a bachelor’s degree within the field of fashion. Special consideration will be given to students who reside or attend school in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Toronto, and Washington DC; and/or plan to attend or currently attend a Historically Black College and University.
Award Amount: Varies HBCU Battle of the Brains is open to business and STEM students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Teams of five to eight students from HBCUs across the country must develop a solution to a complex issue, then pitch that solution in front of judges, as well as a live audience.
Award Amount: Varies The NBA HBCU Fellowship Program is open to full - time undergraduate and graduate students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities. To be considered, you must submit a 250 - to 500 - word essay on why you are interested in the NBA and describe your future career aspirations. During this 10 - week summer program, students will intern with NBA teams or the league office within a variety of departments, including ticket sales, corporate partnerships, legal, social responsibility, and marketing.
Award Amount: $5,000 The AB HBCU Scholars Program is open to HBCU sophomore students. You must be majoring in accounting, business administration, computer science, cybersecurity, economics, engineering, finance, liberal arts, management, marketing, math, or supply chain management to be eligible for this award. Recipients of this award will also participate in a nine - week paid summer internship with AllianceBernstein.
Award Amount: $15,000 The McDonald's Black and Positively Golden Scholarship is available to full - time undergraduate students attending TMCF - member HBCUs and Predominately Black Institutions. You must have a minimum 2.7 GPA and demonstrate financial need to be eligible for this award.
Award Amount: Varies The UNCF General Scholarship is available to full - time undergraduate and graduate students attending a UNCF member college or university. You must have a minimum 2.5 GPA to be eligible for this award.
Award Amount: $750 The @HBCUAlum Scholarship is available to a high school seniors. To be considered, you must be planning to enroll at an HBCU, have a minimum 3.0 GPA, and submit a 500 - word essay on the following topic: "The Importance of HBCUs in the 21st Century."
Award Amount: $2,000 The Joshua David Gardner Memorial Scholarship is available to undergraduate students between the ages of 17 and 25 who have been admitted to or are currently enrolled at an accredited four - year HBCU. You must be a U.S. citizen and have a minimum GPA of 3.0 to be eligible for this award. Also, you must submit a 500 - word essay on the following topic: "What is the importance of participating in political and social change processes?"
Award Amount: $1,000 The Annie Ibok Scholarship is available to rising college freshmen who are attending HBCUs. You must be a resident of Washington State or California and have a minimum 3.0 GPA to be eligible for this award. Priority is given to recent high school graduates.
Award Amount: $10,000 The Thurgood Marshall All Around Scholarship is available to full - time undergraduate students attending HBCUs and PBIs. You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and demonstrate leadership abilities to be eligible for this award.
Award Amount: Full-Tuition The Morgan Stanley HBCU Scholars Program is open to students attending Howard University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College. Eligible students will be invited to apply through their schools.
Award Amount: Varies The San Diego HBCU Scholarship is available to high school seniors. To be eligible, you must be graduating from a San Diego County high school, have been accepted to a HBCU, and submit a 500 - word essay on the following topic: "Why I want to attend an HBCU."
Scholarships for HCBU Students
Future of STEM Scholarship Initiative
Deadline: 1/31/2023Award Amount: $10,000 The Future of STEM Scholarship Initiative is available to high school seniors who are planning to attend an HBCU. You must be planning to major in a STEM field and have a minimum 3.0 GPA to be eligible for this award. Recipients of this award will also receive internship preparation and placement, leadership training, mentoring, and access to the AIChE student networking opportunities.
Gucci Changemakers Scholarship Program
Deadline: 2/3/2023Award Amount: $20,000 The Gucci Changemakers Scholarship Program is open to graduating high school seniors and currently enrolled undergraduate students who are pursuing a bachelor’s degree within the field of fashion. Special consideration will be given to students who reside or attend school in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Toronto, and Washington DC; and/or plan to attend or currently attend a Historically Black College and University.
HBCU Battle of the Brains
Deadline: 2/3/2023Award Amount: Varies HBCU Battle of the Brains is open to business and STEM students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Teams of five to eight students from HBCUs across the country must develop a solution to a complex issue, then pitch that solution in front of judges, as well as a live audience.
NBA HBCU Fellowship Program
Deadline: 2/20/23Award Amount: Varies The NBA HBCU Fellowship Program is open to full - time undergraduate and graduate students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities. To be considered, you must submit a 250 - to 500 - word essay on why you are interested in the NBA and describe your future career aspirations. During this 10 - week summer program, students will intern with NBA teams or the league office within a variety of departments, including ticket sales, corporate partnerships, legal, social responsibility, and marketing.
Good Neighbor Pharmacy Scholarship
Deadline: 2/28/23 Award Amount: $25,000 The Good Neighbor Pharmacy Scholarship is available to Black / African American students who are pursuing a doctoral degree in pharmacy. Undergraduate students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and graduate students must have a minimum 2.5 GPA to be eligible for this award. Preference is given to students attending an HBCU.AB HBCU Scholars Program
Deadline: 3/15/2023Award Amount: $5,000 The AB HBCU Scholars Program is open to HBCU sophomore students. You must be majoring in accounting, business administration, computer science, cybersecurity, economics, engineering, finance, liberal arts, management, marketing, math, or supply chain management to be eligible for this award. Recipients of this award will also participate in a nine - week paid summer internship with AllianceBernstein.
McDonald's Black and Positively Golden Scholarship
Deadline: 3/27/2023Award Amount: $15,000 The McDonald's Black and Positively Golden Scholarship is available to full - time undergraduate students attending TMCF - member HBCUs and Predominately Black Institutions. You must have a minimum 2.7 GPA and demonstrate financial need to be eligible for this award.
UNCF General Scholarship
Deadline: 3/31/2023Award Amount: Varies The UNCF General Scholarship is available to full - time undergraduate and graduate students attending a UNCF member college or university. You must have a minimum 2.5 GPA to be eligible for this award.
@HBCUAlum Scholarship
Deadline: 4/1/2023Award Amount: $750 The @HBCUAlum Scholarship is available to a high school seniors. To be considered, you must be planning to enroll at an HBCU, have a minimum 3.0 GPA, and submit a 500 - word essay on the following topic: "The Importance of HBCUs in the 21st Century."
One In Tech Academic Scholarship
Deadline: 4/28/23 Award Amount: $5,000 The One In Tech Academic Scholarship is available to undergraduate and graduate students pursuing a degree in cybersecurity or information assurance. To be eligible for this award, you must meet one of the following conditions: be a first-generation college student, be enrolled in a minority-serving institution (MSI) or Historically Black College or University (HBCU), or identify within a demographic that is historically underrepresented within the tech profession.Joshua David Gardner Memorial Scholarship
Deadline: 4/30/2023Award Amount: $2,000 The Joshua David Gardner Memorial Scholarship is available to undergraduate students between the ages of 17 and 25 who have been admitted to or are currently enrolled at an accredited four - year HBCU. You must be a U.S. citizen and have a minimum GPA of 3.0 to be eligible for this award. Also, you must submit a 500 - word essay on the following topic: "What is the importance of participating in political and social change processes?"
Annie Ibok Scholarship
Deadline: 7/31/2023Award Amount: $1,000 The Annie Ibok Scholarship is available to rising college freshmen who are attending HBCUs. You must be a resident of Washington State or California and have a minimum 3.0 GPA to be eligible for this award. Priority is given to recent high school graduates.
Thurgood Marshall All Around Scholarship
Deadline: 8/31/2023Award Amount: $10,000 The Thurgood Marshall All Around Scholarship is available to full - time undergraduate students attending HBCUs and PBIs. You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and demonstrate leadership abilities to be eligible for this award.
Morgan Stanley HBCU Scholars Program
Deadline: VariesAward Amount: Full-Tuition The Morgan Stanley HBCU Scholars Program is open to students attending Howard University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College. Eligible students will be invited to apply through their schools.
San Diego HBCU Scholarship
Deadline: RollingAward Amount: Varies The San Diego HBCU Scholarship is available to high school seniors. To be eligible, you must be graduating from a San Diego County high school, have been accepted to a HBCU, and submit a 500 - word essay on the following topic: "Why I want to attend an HBCU."