There are many top scholarships that aim to support African Americans

Historically, access higher education has not always been equal. Many groups, including African American and Black students, have been left out of educational opportunities.

Because of this, many colleges and scholarships aim to support African American students as they pay for college. These scholarships include specific scholarships for African American women, full ride scholarships, and scholarships generally for students from minority backgrounds.

Here are the top African American scholarships for 2020:

TMCF | McDonald’s Black and Positively Golden Scholarship

• Eligibility: Enrolled full-time as a freshman, sophomore, junior or senior at Thurgood Marshall College Fund Member-Schools during the 2020-2021 academic school year.
• Amount: $15,000
• Deadline: June 15th

Blacks at Microsoft Scholarships

• Eligibility: High school seniors who identify as African American
• Amount: $20,000
• Deadline: April 10th

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
• Deadline: April 27th

CollegeXpress Community Service Scholarship for Multicultural Students

• Eligibility: This scholarship is open to students who will be college freshman in the fall
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: April 1st

Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to high school seniors from minority backgrounds.
• Amount: up to $30,000 over 4 years
• Deadline February 1st

Minority Women in STEM Bi-Annual Scholarship

• Eligibility: Women attending a 4-year, 2-year, vocational, or technical institution in the United States. Applicants must be majoring in a STEM field or working on personal projects or jobs in STEM.
• Amount: $3,000
• Deadline: March 22nd

The 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 9th

UNCF General Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to undergraduate and graduate students attending a UNCF member college
• Amount: $5,000
• Deadline: March 27th

UNCF STEM Scholarship

• Eligibility: Open to African American high school seniors who are taking college-level courses and African American college freshmen
• Amount: range from $2,500 to $5,000
• Deadline: March 19th

Tips for African American students applying for scholarships

• Consider Historically Black Colleges and Universities (also known as HBCUs) in your colleges search! HBCUs include top schools like Howard, Spelman, and Morehouse have historically served African American students and have many merit scholarships for black women and men.
• In addition to merit scholarships, you should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (or FAFSA) to qualify for need-based financial aid.

To summarize, these are the African American scholarships for 2020:

1. TMCF | McDonald’s Black and Positively Golden Scholarship
2. Blacks at Microsoft Scholarships
3. Center for Advancing Opportunity Undergraduate Research Scholarship
4. CollegeXpress Community Service Scholarship for Multicultural Students
5. Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship
6. Minority Women in STEM Bi-Annual Scholarship
7. The Ron Brown Scholar Program
8. UNCF General Scholarship
9. UNCF STEM Scholarship