By Will Geiger

Will Geiger is the co-founder of Scholarships360 and has a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. He is a former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Kenyon College where he personally reviewed 10,000 admissions applications and essays. Will also managed the Kenyon College merit scholarship program and served on the financial aid appeals committee. He has also worked as an Associate Director of College Counseling at a high school in New Haven, Connecticut. Will earned his master’s in education from the University of Pennsylvania and received his undergraduate degree in history from Wake Forest University.

Posted: October 4th, 2021

Colleges campuses are communities that value diversity and inclusion. This can include students from different backgrounds, geographies, and life experiences. This is why many scholarships that are offered support students from underrepresented backgrounds.

Generally, minority scholarships are aimed at supporting students from underrepresented racial backgrounds including African American, Hispanic, Asian American, and Native American students. Some of these scholarships will also support first-generation college students and students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Jump ahead to:

• Top scholarships for minority students
• Summary of scholarships
• Upcoming scholarships

Keep on reading to learn more about the top minority scholarships for students including eligibility details, award amounts, and application deadlines.

Top scholarships for minority students

David Porter Need-Based Diversity Scholarship

• Eligibility: Traditionally under-represented students who are enrolled/planning to enroll in study abroad programs
• Amount: $5,000 (two scholarships are awarded)
• Deadline: November 1 and May 1 of each year

APF Queen-Nellie Evans Scholarship

• Eligibility: Minority graduate students committed to improving marginalized communities
• Amount: $4,000
• Deadline: November 15, 2021

HACU Scholarship Program

• Eligibility: Open to college students of Hispanic descent with financial need who are attending one of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities 
• Amount: $1,000 to $5,000
• Deadline: November 19, 2021 5:00 p.m. CST

Regents’ Scholars Program

• Eligibility: High school seniors with demonstrated financial need who apply to Texas A&M.
• Amount: $6,000 per year for up to four years
• Deadline: January 1st of each year (this is the date that students submit the FAFSA in order to be eligible)

Ron Brown Scholar Program

• Eligibility: Open to African American students with demonstrated financial aid who are high school seniors.
• Amount: up to $10,000 per year
• Deadline: January 9, 2021

Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to high school seniors from minority backgrounds
• Amount: up to $30,000 over 4 years
• Deadline: January 12, 2021

EPP/MSI Undergraduate Scholarship Program

• Eligibility: Rising junior undergraduate students majoring in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
• Amount: $45,000
• Deadline:  January 31, 2022

UNCF General Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to undergraduate and graduate students attending a UNCF member college
• Amount: $5,000
• Deadline: March 21, 2022

First Generation Matching Grant Program

• Eligibility: Open to high school seniors in Florida who have demonstrated financial need. Students must be planning on attending a Florida state college or university (4 year or 2 year)
• Amount: Varies
• Deadline: Varies depending on the college

Newman’s Own Scholarships

• Eligibility: First generation high school students who are applying to Kenyon College
• Amount: Varies (this scholarship eliminates the loan portion of a student’s financial aid package and replaces it with a grant)
• Deadline: Varies (depending on whether the student applies Regular Decision, Early Decision 1, or Early Decision 2).

Odyssey Scholarships

• Eligibility: First generation high school students who are applying to the University of Chicago.
• Amount: Varies
• Deadline: Varies (depending on whether the student applies Regular Decision, Early Action, Early Decision 1, or Early Decision 2).

Summary of scholarships for minorities

1. David Porter Need-Based Diversity Scholarship
2. Newman’s Own Scholarships
3. APF Queen-Nellie Evans Scholarship
4. HACU Scholarship Program
5. Regents’ Scholars Program
6. Ron Brown Scholar Program
7. Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship
8. EPP/MSI Undergraduate Scholarship Program
9. UNCF General Scholarship
10. First Generation Matching Grant Program
11. Newman’s Own Scholarships
12. Odyssey Scholarships

Upcoming minority scholarships

Blacks at Microsoft Scholarships

• Eligibility: High school seniors who identify as African American
• Amount: $20,000

Center for Advancing Opportunity Undergraduate Research Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to students who will be sophomores, juniors, or seniors at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU)
• Amount: up to $7,500

El Cafe Del Futuro Scholarship

• Eligibility: Full-time undergraduate or graduate students of Latino descent
• Amount: $5,000

Gates Scholarship

• Eligibility: High school seniors of African-American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian & Pacific Islander American, and/or Hispanic American who are Pell-eligible
• Amount: Full funding of all costs not covered by financial aid and family contribution 

Generation Google Scholarship 

• Eligibility: Open to all high school seniors and college students who excel in technology. Historically underrepresented  groups, such as Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, American Indian, or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander students are especially encouraged to apply
• Amount: $5,000 to $10,000

Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to high school, college, and graduate students of Hispanic descent
• Amount: $500 to $5,000
• Opens: January 1, 2022

LULAC National Scholarship Fund (LNSF)

• Eligibility: Three scholarship programs within the LNSF that supports Latino high school students. Each scholarship has separate criteria as far as GPA and test scores.
• Amount: Up to $2,000
• Opens: Early 2022

Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Scholarships

• Eligibility: To be eligible students must be planning a STEM focus at a 2-year college, 4-year college, master’s program or doctoral program.
• Amount: Varies
• Opens: February 2022

Questbridge National College Match Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to high school seniors who have demonstrated financial need (while Questbridge is not exclusive to first generation students, 70% of finalists are first generation students)
• Amount: Full funding (including tuition, room, and board) for four years

Thurgood Marshall College Fund Scholarships

• Eligibility: Incoming/full-time college students at one of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s (TMCF) 47 publicly-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities
• Amount: $500 to $15,000 

UNCF STEM Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to African American high school seniors who are taking college-level courses and African American college freshmen
• Amount: Ranges from $2,500 to $5,000