Scholarships for Black and African American Students
- Black college students receive financial aid at the highest rate among racial and ethnic minority groups.
- They also amass more student debt than other racial and ethnic student groups.
- Many scholarships and grants are awarded exclusively to Black and African American students.
Black students receive the highest percentage of financial aid compared to students of other racial/ethnic groups completing an undergraduate degree. Black students also take out federal loans at a higher rate, amass more debt, and are more likely to default on their student loans than their white peers.
Fortunately, many scholarships and financial aid opportunities specifically support Black and African American college students.
Explore scholarships and grants — which do not need to be repaid — before considering loans or other conditional methods to fund your college education.
You can also stack scholarships and pursue financial aid specifically for women, first-generation college students, science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs, or high-need majors.
Black and African American Scholarships
American Association of Blacks in Energy Scholarship 
Who Is Eligible: Applicants must be high school seniors within an AABE Chapter area with a minimum 3.0 GPA. Candidates must intend to enroll in a college, technical or trade school, or university the semester following high school graduation, majoring in a STEM field. This scholarship is open to all, but mostly awards African American applicants.
Application Deadline: April 16, 2025
Scholarship Amount: $3,000-$5,000
American Bus Association Diversity Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: This scholarship focuses on underrepresented groups pursuing careers in the transportation, travel, and tourism industries at the management or operational level. Undergraduate or graduate students may apply.
Application Deadline: Varies
Scholarship Amount: $5,000
AMS Scholarship for Underserved Communities
Who Is Eligible: The American Meteorological Society awards scholarships to students in underrepresented communities who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Applicants must be starting their first year of college and intend to pursue a career in atmospheric or related oceanic and hydrologic sciences except Marine Biology.
Application Deadline: Feb. 28, 2025
Scholarship Amount: $6,000 over two years
Congressional Black Caucus Spouses Education Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: Eligible applicants include Black and African American students pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees. High school seniors may also apply. Applicants must live or go to school in a Congressional Black Caucus member’s district.
Application Deadline: March 29, 2025
Scholarship Amount: $2,500-$20,000
ETS Presidential Scholarship for HBCU Students
Who Is Eligible: This scholarship is awarded by ETS and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. Juniors or seniors enrolled in a historically Black college or university (HBCU) may apply. Students must demonstrate financial need and possess a minimum GPA of 3.5.
Application Deadline: March 17, 2025
Scholarship Amount: Full cost of tuition
Institute of Transportation Engineers Diversity Scholars Program
Who Is Eligible: Applicants may be high school seniors or transfer college students from an underrepresented minority group. Candidates must intend to major in transportation engineering or a related field at an accredited four-year university. First-generation college students with the greatest financial need are preferred.
Application Deadline: March 15, 2025
Scholarship Amount: Up to $20,000
Jackie Robinson Foundation
Who Is Eligible: This scholarship is awarded to minority high school seniors who demonstrate leadership potential and academic excellence. Applicants must plan on attending an approved four-year college. Recipients also receive career guidance and internship placement.
Application Deadline: January
Scholarship Amount: Up to $35,000 over four years
McDonald’s Black & Positively Golden Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: Candidates must be enrolled in an HBCU undergraduate program during the academic year for which they apply for the scholarship. They must maintain a minimum 2.7 GPA, hold U.S. citizenship or permanent residency, and demonstrate financial need and strong leadership potential.
Application Deadline: April 25, 2025
Scholarship Amount: Up to $15,000
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund Herbert Lehman Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: Candidates must be graduating high school seniors, first-year college students, or transfer students in their first year or sophomore year. Applicants must be U.S. citizens with a history of academic excellence and public service experience and whose combined family income does not exceed $70,000.
Application Deadline: April 1, 2025
Scholarship Amount: $3,000 per year for four years
National Black Nurses Association Scholarship Program
Who Is Eligible: The NBNA offers numerous scholarships for Black and African American students pursuing a career in nursing. Students must be NBNA members currently enrolled in a nursing program.
Application Deadline: March 15, 2025
Scholarship Amount: $1,000-$15,000
Ron Brown Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: Applicants must be Black or African American high school seniors who hold U.S. citizenship or meet permanent resident requirements. Candidates must also demonstrate financial need, academic excellence, leadership potential, and community service experience.
Application Deadline: Dec. 1
Scholarship Amount: $40,000 over four years
The Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Scholarship Program
Who Is Eligible: This scholarship is awarded to one female and one male senior attending a HBCU. Applicants must possess a minimum GPA of 3.5 and demonstrate financial need, strong leadership skills, and a commitment to community service.
Application Deadline: January
Scholarship Amount: $10,000
The Gates Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: This highly selective scholarship is awarded to minority students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and leadership abilities. High school seniors must be eligible for the Pell Grant program and possess a minimum cumulative weighted GPA of 3.3.
Application Deadline: September
Scholarship Amount: The full cost of attendance not already covered by other financial aid
STEM Scholarships for Black and African American Students
ACS Scholars Program
Who Is Eligible: The American Chemical Society awards this renewable scholarship to underrepresented students majoring in chemistry-related disciplines. Applicants must possess a GPA of 3.0 or higher and intend to pursue a career in chemistry-related science.
Application Deadline: March 1 each year (FAFSA deadline)
Scholarship Amount: Up to $5,000 per academic year
Blacks at Microsoft Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: This scholarship is for Black and African American high school seniors who demonstrate a passion for technology and intend to pursue a bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, computer information systems, or specific business programs.
Application Deadline: March 13, 2025 (FAFSA deadline)
Scholarship Amount: $2,500-$5,000
Brown and Caldwell Minority Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: Black, African American, and other minority students may apply. Students must be undergraduates in their junior or senior year or enrolled in a graduate program in engineering or environmental science.
Application Deadline: Feb. 28, 2025 (FAFSA deadline)
Scholarship Amount: $5,000
Development Fund for Black Students in Science and Technology
Who Is Eligible: African American undergraduate students majoring in scientific or technical fields and enrolled at HBCUs may apply. Applicants are evaluated based on their academic achievements, a personal essay, letters of recommendation, and financial need.
Application Deadline: June 15
Scholarship Amount: Up to $3,000 per year for up to four years
Nightwing Underrepresented Groups in Cybersecurity Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: Applicants must be pursuing a degree focused on cybersecurity or information assurance. Undergraduates or graduate students with a minimum GPA of 3.3 may apply.
Application Deadline: March 3, 2025
Scholarship Amount: $10,000
Scholarships for First-Generation Black and African American Students
Fontana Transport Inc. Scholars Program
Who Is Eligible: Candidates must be first-generation high school seniors from an underrepresented minority group. Applicants must be accepted into an accredited four-year university and intend to major in a qualifying subject such as STEM, pre-med, or psychology.
Application Deadline: March 14, 2025
Scholarship Amount: Varies
Stantec Equity and Diversity Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: Stantec awards $200,000 annually to historically underrepresented students through this scholarship program. Applicants must major in the science, technology, mathematics, engineering, or arts fields.
Application Deadline: November
Scholarship Amount: $1,500-$10,000
Scholarships for Black and African American Graduate Students
Albert W. Dent Graduate Student Scholarship
Who Is Eligible: The Foundation of the American College of Healthcare Executives awards this scholarship to racially and ethnically diverse students enrolled in their last year of a healthcare management master’s degree program, such as healthcare administration.
Application Deadline: March 31, 2025
Scholarship Amount: Varies
George A. Strait Minority Scholarship and Fellowship
Who Is Eligible: This scholarship honors distinguished law librarians and accepts minority applicants intending to pursue a career in law librarianship. Students must be enrolled in law school or an American Library Association-accredited library graduate program.
Application Deadline: April 1, 2025
Scholarship Amount: Varies
Spectrum Scholarship Program
Who Is Eligible: The American Library Association (ALA) Spectrum Scholarship offers awards to racially and ethnically diverse populations, including Black and African American students. Applicants must attend an ALA-accredited graduate program in library and information science or an American Association of School Librarians-recognized school library media program. Recipients also receive mentoring opportunities.
Application Deadline: March 1
Scholarship Amount: $5,000
Frequently Asked Questions About Black and African American Scholarships
UNCF represents the largest minority education organization in the U.S., helping to facilitate scholarships, internships, fellowships, and international learning opportunities for college students. UNCF partners with thousands of U.S. universities to enable low- to moderate-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students to pursue a postsecondary education program.
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