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Higher education is expensive. There’s no getting around that reality. Fortunately, there are numerous organizations, foundations, and individuals who are funding scholarships and awards to help students offset these exorbitant expenses. Some scholarships out there are open to all, but there are also a great number of funding opportunities for applicants who match certain criteria, including academic excellence, financial need, identity, and educational interests. Below, you’ll find a robust list of scholarships for African American students, ranging from high school students preparing for their next steps, to graduate and professional students who are already deep into their educational path.

Especially in light of the rollback of both and (DEI) programs in higher education, it may feel daunting to face down a new academic year without a clear sense of how things might develop. The good news is that there are a large number of private organizations (as well as institutions of higher education) that will continue to champion and uplift their most marginalized students. We have good reason to believe that the organizations represented below are, in light of recent events, even more staunchly committed to the task of supporting the education and professional development of Black and African American students.

We recommend searching and applying for scholarships with as much specificity as possible! The more eligibility requirements there are, the smaller the pool of applicants, which means the greater chance of being awarded a scholarship. Our most important reminder is: don’t self-reject! You can’t be awarded anything you don’t apply for. So find the opportunities that fit your story the best, and take your shot!

Scholarships for African American Students: Upcoming Deadlines

The following scholarships for African American students have application deadlines this spring or summer. You’ll find the award amount, deadline, and quick facts about eligibility requirements under each scholarship. You can follow the links for more information and access to the application portals.

1) 

• Amount: $5,000
• Deadline: April 30th, 2025
• Details: For Black, African American, and Caribbean American students who are descendants of enslaved people, and are currently enrolled in or newly accepted to a college or university. Must be a resident of Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau County, or Suffolk County, NY. This scholarship is sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island, but applicants do not have to be Episcopalian.

2) 

• Amount: $5,000
• Deadline: April 30th, 2025
• Details: For Black, African American, and Caribbean American students who are descendants of enslaved people, and are currently enrolled in or newly accepted to an accredited occupational, vocational, or trade union training program. Must be a resident of Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau County, or Suffolk County, NY. This scholarship is sponsored by the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island, but applicants do not have to be Episcopalian.

3) 

• Amount: $2,500
• Deadline: April 30th, 2025
• Details: For graduating college seniors (class of 2025) enrolled at a UNCF (United Negro College Fund) member institution, majoring in business, management, or engineering. Must have demonstrated unmet financial need, and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.

4) 

• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: April 30th, 2025
• Details: For female high school seniors who have been accepted to a college or university as a full-time student. One scholarship is awarded to a resident of Baltimore, MD and one is awarded to a resident of Columbia, SC.

5) 

• Amount: up to $15,000
• Deadline: April 30th, 2025
• Details: For students currently attending an HBCU and majoring in the field of education (including teaching, administration, school counseling, and school social work).

6) 

• Amount: $5,000
• Deadline: April 30th, 2025
• Details: For undergraduate or graduate students studying education, who are either currently teaching or aspire to teach in grades K-12. Must have a GPA of 2.7 or higher and have at least 60 college credits completed.

7) 

• Amount: $5,000
• Deadline: April 30th, 2025
• Details: For BIPOC women/girls enrolled or planning to enroll as a visual arts major at a two- or four-year college or university. Must be a high school senior currently attending public school in DC, Maryland, or Virginia, or a college freshman or sophomore originally from the DMV area.

8) 

• Amount: $5,000
• Deadline: April 30th, 2025
• Details: For currently enrolled college students majoring in a travel- or tourism-related field. This scholarship is geared towards traditionally underrepresented groups (e.g. race, ethnicity, nationality, class, age, etc.) in the management and operation ranks of the transportation, travel, and tourism industries.

9) 

• Amount: $10,000
• Deadline: Rolling (open until funds are exhausted; apply ASAP)
• Details: For certified descendants of Jesuit slaveholding in the United States, or their spouses or children. The fund is need-based and especially encourages applicants attending HBCUs. This scholarship is sponsored by a first-of-its-kind organization led by the descendants of enslaved ancestors and the present successors of Jesuit enslavers.

10) 

• Amount: up to $5,000
• Deadline: May 1st, 2025
• Details: For current students enrolled in college, university, or graduate school at a UNCF-affiliated institution (United Negro College Fund). Must have demonstrated unmet financial need, and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.

11) 

• Amount: $2,500
• Deadline: May 1st, 2025
• Details: For Black/African-American high school seniors who will be entering a two-year or four-year college or university.

12) 

• Amount: $1,000-$5,000
• Deadline: May 1st, 2025
• Details: For Black American male students graduating from high school in Contra Costa County or Alameda County, CA. Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 and enroll in a college or university within one year of the scholarship being awarded.

13) 

• Amount: $5,000
• Deadline: May 1st, 2025
• Details: For BIPOC students currently enrolled in (or newly accepted to) an esthetics program that leads to licensure. This scholarship is particularly targeted towards students pursuing a career in aesthetics, skincare formulation, and/or cosmetic chemistry.

14) 

• Amount: $5,000
• Deadline: May 1st, 2025
• Details: For BIPOC esthetics students currently enrolled in (or newly accepted to) an esthetics program at a Dermalogica Partner School.

15) 

• Amount: up to $5,000
• Deadline: May 1st, 2025
• Details: For BIPOC students currently enrolled (or newly accepted) to an accredited cosmetology program that leads to licensure. This scholarship particularly targets students who demonstrate a commitment to justice, equity, and diversity.

16) 

• Amount: $10,000
• Deadline: May 2nd, 2025
• Details: For underserved and underrepresented law students who have been admitted to a Bay Area law school. Must have demonstrated financial need.

17) 

• Amount: up to $5,000
• Deadline: May 8th, 2025
• Details: For full-time undergraduate students at an HBCU. Must be in your third, fourth, or fifth year of undergraduate studies, and have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.

18) 

• Amount: $2,000
• Deadline: May 15th, 2025
• Details: For students of Black/African descent pursuing education in a healthcare field at an accredited college, university, trade, or technical school. Must have an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher in your current or last degree program.

19) 

• Amount: $5,000 or $10,000
• Deadline: May 15th, 2025
• Details: For Black and/or Latino students enrolled in an MSW (Master of Social Work) program in NY or CT. Must be Connecticut residents with demonstrated financial need.

20) 

• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: May 16th, 2025
• Details: For Black/African-American high school seniors graduating from a Georgia high school in 2025. Must have a GPA of 2.5 or higher, and have plans to attend a four-year college or university.

21) 

• Amount: $3,500
• Deadline: May 16th, 2025
• Details: For students from underrepresented groups who are pursuing a degree/career in education and/or school leadership. Must be entering your final year of completing teaching certification requirements (including student teaching).

22) 

• Amount: $500-$1,500
• Deadline: May 18th, 2025
• Details: For Black/African-American students who are residents of Allegheny County, PA, and attending or accepted to a two- or four-year college, university, trade, or technical school (schools can be anywhere in the US).

23) 

• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: May 18th, 2025
• Details: For high school seniors or current undergraduates studying human services and interested in pursuing career fields that “academically, morally, and socially uplift Black people.” Must have a GPA of 2.5 or higher, with a preference given to residents of Allegheny County, PA and the surrounding area, and Cambria County, PA.

24) 

• Amount: $5,000
• Deadline: May 18th, 2025
• Details: For residents of Pennsylvania accepted to or enrolled in a BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) program at a college or university in Pennsylvania.

25) 

• Amount: $500
• Deadline: May 18th, 2025
• Details: For nursing students attending a nursing school, college, or university located within a 50-mile radius of Kansas City, MO. Must have a GPA of 2.5 or higher. This scholarship is geared towards nursing students with an interest in oncology or blood-related disorders.

26) 

• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: May 18th, 2025
• Details: For high school and undergraduate students who are residents of Allegheny or Beaver County, PA, or who have parents or grandparents who reside in those counties. Must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

27) 

• Amount: $5,000
• Deadline: May 18th, 2025
• Details: For students who are descendants of people who were enslaved in Culpepper, Rappahannock, and Madison Counties, in Virginia. Preference for this scholarship is given to descendants of people who were enslaved by John Kilby and his lineal descendants.

28) 

• Amount: $2,000
• Deadline: May 31st, 2025
• Details: For minority female students enrolled in a Communication Sciences and Disorders undergraduate or graduate program. Must be a resident of Georgia and have an undergraduate GPA of 2.5 or higher, or a graduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.

29) 

• Amount: up to $10,000
• Deadline: May 31st, 2025
• Details: For minority students with demonstrated financial need who are enrolled in an accredited college or university and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. For a Bright Future sponsors several distinct scholarships for different areas of study (STEM, education, healthcare, and creative arts) as well as for veterans, families of veterans, single parents, and children of single parents.

30) 

• Amount: Varies
• Deadline: Rolling (apply before June)
• Details: For graduating seniors from San Diego County who plan to attend an HBCU.

31) 

• Amount: $1,000-$1,500
• Deadline: June 15th, 2025
• Details: For minority undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need who are studying chemical engineering. Must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and must be a member of AIChE (free to join for undergraduate students).

32) 

• Amount: up to $12,000 ($3,000/year, renewable)
• Deadline: June 15th
• Details: For African-American students enrolled in (or accepted to) one of the participating HBCUs, and majoring in or intending to major in a STEM field. Students must apply to this scholarship through the participating school by contacting the science or engineering department (see link for list of schools).

33) 

• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: July 31st, 2025
• Details: For rising college freshmen attending an HBCU. Must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and have graduated from high school in either California or Washington State.

34) 

• Amount: Varies
• Deadline: Varies (March–May or rolling)
• Details: For Black/African-American high school seniors planning to attend college in the fall. The Urban League of Rochester hosts a large number of scholarships with different eligibility criteria. Many are for students who live in Rochester, Monroe County, or the surrounding area, or who have plans to attend certain area colleges. Some are for Urban League Black Scholars.

Planning Ahead: More Scholarships for African American Students

These scholarships for African American students have deadlines during the next academic year. Many of them are larger four-year awards geared toward high school seniors, but a good number of them are for undergraduate students as well. If you’re getting ready to apply for college and looking for scholarship opportunities, or if you’re a current student seeking supplemental financial support for your degree, keep these deadlines on your radar!

35) 

• Amount: “last dollar” (full cost of tuition not covered by other financial aid)
• Deadline: September (application opens in July)
• Details: For minority high school seniors from low-income households who plan to enroll full-time in a four-year college or university. Must have a GPA of 3.3 or higher and be Pell-eligible.

36) 

• Amount: $40,000 ($10,000/year for four years)
• Deadline: December 1st (application opens in September)
• Details: For Black/African-American high school seniors with demonstrated financial need. Must excel academically and participate in community service.

37) 

• Amount: up to $35,000
• Deadline: January 9th (application opens in September)
• Details: For minority high school seniors with demonstrated financial need. Must demonstrate a record of academic excellence and a commitment to community service. This merit-based scholarship also includes mentoring, job placement, and a community service requirement.

38) 

• Amount: $1,000-$5,000
• Deadline: January 10th (application opens in October)
• Details: For Black LGBTQ+ students who have been admitted or are attending a degree, licensing, or vocational program. Students can apply from anywhere in the country; they do not have to reside in LA to win this award.

39) 

• Amount: Varies (full tuition, room and board, and individual awards of $1,000-$3,500)
• Deadline: January 31st
• Details: For high school seniors in the greater Pittsburgh region, with preference given to Black/African-American students. The KSEF scholarships include two full-ride scholarships (tuition and room and board) to students interested in attending Penn State University Park, one full tuition scholarship to students interested in attending Duquesne University, and nine smaller individual financial awards.

40) 

• Amount: $1,000-$8,000
• Deadline: February 20th
• Details: For Black/African-American high school and college students living or attending school in Washington DC, Prince George’s County, MD, and Montgomery County, MD. Must have demonstrated financial need.

41) 

• Amount: $10,000
• Deadline: March 15th (application opens in November)
• Details: For students attending an HBCU and pursuing studies (undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral) related to social justice (criminal justice, education, civil rights, community/economic development, etc.), and/or with demonstrated experience in social justice, student activism, or community service.

42) 

• Amount: up to $40,000 ($10,000/year, renewable)
• Deadline: March 15th (application opens in November)
• Details: For Black/African-American high school seniors or college students pursuing an undergraduate degree in any area of study. Must demonstrate a record of academic excellence. Also called The Tracking Foundation Multi-Year Scholarship, this award is sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, which hosts a number of scholarships for Black/African-American students.

43) 

• Amount: $20,000
• Deadline: March 15th (application opens in November)
• Details: For Black/African-American students pursuing a graduate or doctoral degree in any area of study. Also called The Tracking Foundation Scholars Scholarship, this award is sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, which hosts a number of scholarships for Black/African-American students.

44) 

• Amount: $10,000
• Deadline: March 29th (application opens in February)
• Details: For rising undergraduate sophomores, juniors, and seniors pursuing a degree in engineering or computer science at an ABET-accredited College of Engineering at one of the associated HBCUs (see link for list of schools). Must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

45) 

• Amount: up to $4,000
• Deadline: April 8th (application opens in February)
• Details: For Black/African-American juniors, seniors, and graduate students who are studying accounting at an Illinois college or university. Must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and have demonstrated academic achievement and financial need.

46) 

• Amount: Varies (up to $25,000)
• Deadline: April 11th (application opens in March)
• Details: For Black/African-American students enrolled or newly accepted to an accredited college or university in the US. Must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and be a registered member of the NAACP (interested applicants can join to apply). The NAACP hosts a number of scholarships with different eligibility criteria, including specific scholarships for students pursuing studies in the arts, aviation/aeronautics, and STEM, as well as for formerly incarcerated individuals with a commitment to continuing their education.

47) 

• Amount: Varies
• Deadline: April 25th (application opens in January)
• Details: For Black/African-American high school seniors or undergraduate students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women Clubs, Inc. hosts a number of scholarships with different eligibility criteria, including specific scholarships for students studying education, journalism, economics, political science, STEM, sociology, and Black studies. There are also scholarships for students over 35 and for young single mothers.

48) 

• Amount: Varies (up to $16,400)
• Deadline: April 25th (application opens in March)
• Details: For Black/African-American students attending one of the member schools (HBCUs and PBIs). The Thurgood Marshall College Fund hosts a large number of sponsored scholarships with different eligibility criteria, with one general application that informs you of which ones you are eligible for.

49)

• Amount: Full tuition, fees, and stipend
• Deadline: Varies
• Details: For rising college freshmen attending a qualifying HBCU. This scholarship is a subset of the NROTC scholarship specifically for Black/African-American students who are pursuing commissioning in the Navy or Marine Corps. High school students interested in an NROTC scholarship should begin the application process in the spring of their junior year.

50) 

• Amount: $5,000
• Deadline: Varies (application opens in 2026)
• Details: For BIPOC college students in their junior or senior years (or graduate students) studying environmental science or engineering. Must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Final Thoughts

There are many ways to fund and supplement your higher education! In addition to these scholarships for African American students, we recommend searching for awards that are most aligned with your personal experience and educational goals. The more specific a scholarship’s eligibility, the more likely you are to be a good-fit candidate!

We recommend researching local opportunities with your school district or university, as well as organizations in your town, county, and state. Local scholarships tend to be in smaller amounts, but the pools of eligible applicants are smaller as well. You can always be awarded multiple scholarships from different places—but not if you don’t bet on yourself first!

For more scholarship resources from our team, check out the following links:

• How to Find College Scholarships
• $2,000 No Essay Scholarship
• 25 Scholarships for International Students – 2025
• How to Win a Coca-Cola Scholarship
• Automatic Scholarships based on SAT/ACT Score 
• Scholarships for Hispanic Students