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Top 76 Scholarships for Black Students in November 2022
Historically, access to 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.
Jump ahead to…
- Top scholarships for Black students
- How to win scholarships for Black students
- Tips for African American students applying for scholarships
- What you should know about HBCUs
- Resources for Black students
- Frequently asked questions about scholarships for Black students
- Explore these additional scholarship categories
Top 76 Scholarships for Black Students in November 2022
The Scholarships360 Research Team reviews all scholarships individually and strives to exclude any scholarship where any of the below applies:
- The scholarship requires a fee to apply
- The scholarship provider’s privacy policy allows for the misuse of student data
- The scholarship requires paid membership in an organization (with certain exceptions for reputable trade organizations and others)
- Student are required to sign up for a site or service to apply*
- The scholarship seems primarily used for lead generation** or idea harvesting purposes***
- The scholarship website has many grammatical errors and/or advertisements
- The scholarship or scholarship providing organization seem untrustworthy
- There is no evidence the scholarship was previously awarded
- The scholarship has not been awarded in the past 12 months
- There is no available contact information
If you believe a scholarship has been published in error, please reach out to [email protected] and we’ll take a look!
* There are certain exceptions to this, for example if the sponsoring organization is a major corporation or nonprofit with its own scholarship application system.
** Lead generation scholarships will require students to sign up for an app or website and require minimal (if any) application requirements.
***Idea harvesting scholarships will require students to submit blog posts or other materials that companies may use for marketing purposes.
$10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship
Scholarships360 Exclusive
Easy scholarship open to all US-based high school, college, community college and graduate students.
$2,000 Nitro College Scholarship – No Essay
Sponsored
Easy scholarship open to all high school, college, community and graduate students.
Niche $50,000 “No Essay” College Scholarship
Sponsored
Open to high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in the next year.
JCS Beauty “Nourish and Shine” BIPOC Cosmetology Scholarship
Offered by Beauty Changes Lives
Open to new or currently enrolled Black/African American students at a cosmetology program leading to licensure in the U.S. or Canada.
Sage Michaela Lucas “Timing is Everything” Scholarship
Offered by Beauty Changes Lives
Open to incoming or current esthetics students enrolled in an accredited program and who identify as people of color (POC).
African American Leadership Society STEM Scholarship
Offered by United Way of South Hampton Roads
Open to African American high school seniors & college students from Hamptons Roads interested in STEM.
APTA Minority Scholarship Award
Offered by American Physical Therapy Association
Open to minorities in their final year of a physical therapy program and faculty members pursuing postdoctoral physical therapy degrees.
Goldman Sachs MBA Fellowship
Offered by Goldman Sachs
Open to historically underrepresented first year MBA students who are also pursuing a Summer Associate position with Goldman Sachs.
UNCF General Scholarship
Offered by UNCF
Open to students enrolled full-time at a UNCF member college or university.
Pride Foundation Scholarship
Offered by Pride Foundation
Open to people of color, LGBTQ+, disabled, or otherwise underrepresented students who are pursuing post-secondary education.
$10,000 CollegeXpress Scholarship
Sponsored
Annual $10k scholarship from CollegeXpress open to all high school students.
Ron Brown Scholarship
Offered by Ron Brown Scholar Program
Open to community-minded and intellectually gifted Black/African American high school seniors.
“Scholar Dollars” Essay Scholarship for Black Students
Scholarships360 Exclusive
Open to Black students in their senior year of high school to their last year of graduate school.
Minority Fellowship Program (MFP)
Offered by American Sociological Association
Open to sociologists of color in a PhD-granting sociology program.
APF Queen-Nellie Evans Scholarship
Offered by American Psychological Foundation
Open to minority graduate students who have financial need and demonstrate a dedication to improving social disparities.
The Wes Vernon Broadcast Scholarship
Offered by The National Press Club Journalism Institute
Open to current and incoming college students who plan to pursue a career in broadcast journalism at any accredited university.
The Scholarship for Journalism Diversity Honoring Julie Schoo
Offered by The National Press Club Journalism Institute
Open to diverse high school seniors who plan to pursue a career in Journalism at any accredited college or university in the US.
TLF Undergraduate Scholarships
Offered by The LAGRANT Foundation
Open to minority college students who are studying advertising, marketing, public relations, or related fields.
$25k “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship
Sponsored
Easy scholarship open to high school students, college students, community college students, and graduate students.
Niche $2,000 “No Essay” College Scholarship
Sponsored
Easy scholarship from Niche open to all high school, college, and graduate students.
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How to win scholarships for Black students
As with any scholarship opportunity, scholarships for Black students are highly competitive, and in order to achieve success, you’ll need to craft an application that stands out from the crowd. One great way to write a strong application is to spend some time reflecting before you start your essays.
Because these applications are offered specifically to Black students, they will often ask questions relating to your heritage and its importance in your life. Before answering these questions, try to reflect on what your Black background means to you, and talk to family members or friends to get some ideas for your application. You can jot down some informal notes about your findings, and come back to this document as you fill out your applications.
How to write a great essay
Once you have an idea of what you want to say in your essays, it’s time to make sure you say it in the most compelling way possible. Try to be succinct, charismatic, and insightful in your responses. Oftentimes, getting someone to proofread your essays can help you gain some perspective.
We have a host of resources to help you fine-tune your applications, including guides on writing 250 word or 500 word essays, writing about yourself, and answering some of the most common scholarship essay prompts. You can also check out our guides for starting and ending your essays, as well as a guide on how to write a winning scholarship essay.
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.
- Check out our scholarship search tool to stay up-to-date on current scholarship opportunities custom-matched to your demographics, interests, and major.
- Make sure to put a lot of work into your scholarship essays. This includes working on writing about yourself, and learning to write for word limits. Some common word limits for scholarship essays are 250 and 500 words.
- Talk to the guidance counselor at your high school to see if there are any local scholarships you can apply for.
What you should know about HBCUs
HBCUs have historically been extremely important in the education of Black students. For many years, they were the only universities that admitted Black students. Fortunately, this is no longer true. However, they continue to provide unique benefits for Black students across the country. Here is a list of some of the highest-rated HBCUs:
| School | Location | Enrollment | Tuition | Acceptance Rate |
| Spelman College | Atlanta, GA | 2,120 | $29,972 | 43.4% |
| Howard University | Washington, DC | 6,526 | $28,440 | 36.1% |
| Xavier University of Louisiana | New Orleans, LA | 2,530 | $25,947 | 60% |
| Tuskegee University | Tuskegee, AL | 2,394 | $22,679 | 51.7% |
| Hampton University | Hampton, VA | 3,714 | $29,287 | 36% |
| Morehouse College | Atlanta, GA | 2,238 | $28,847 | 99.8% |
There are many scholarship opportunities specifically for Black students attending an HBCU. These include the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame General Scholarship. We also have a full list of HBCU scholarships to check out.
Resources for Black students
If you have a good idea of the type of work you want to get into, it’s a good idea to seek out some Black professional organizations in your field. These organizations often offer their own scholarships, and they also host events that unite professionals in the field. From these events, you may gain additional guidance on your career trajectory, or even land a job or internship.
Professional organizations can vary widely in scope and focus. Some may be regional organizations, whereas others will be national. For example, the National Association of Black Accountants boasts of over 200,000 members nationwide, and could be a great resource for Black students interested in accounting.
And they are far from the only ones – whether you plan to be a physicist, cardiologist, a psychologist, or a host of other professions, there is an organization out there for you! Even students who are not set on a career path may benefit from joining or investigating these organizations. The firsthand experience with professionals in the field can help you decide whether it is a good fit for you or not.
Black Student Unions
Most colleges around the country have Black Student Unions, which unify Black students on campus. If you are considering attending a school, you may find it beneficial to reach out to their Black Student Union. They may be able to steer you in the direction of school-specific scholarships and other resources. They can also offer insight about the experience of being a Black student on that school’s campus.
Frequently asked questions about scholarships for Black students
Are there scholarships specifically for Black women?
The National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Clubs offers several scholarships specifically for Black women. If you are looking for other scholarships for women, we’ve got you covered with our top scholarships for women list that’s updated each month!
Do I qualify for scholarships for Black students if I am multiracial?
Yes, you do! Though they may exist, we have never seen a scholarship that requires 100% Black heritage. And you can apply to scholarship opportunities meant for any race or heritage you identify with. So, if you are Black and Hispanic, you can apply to scholarships targeted towards either community.
What are the advantages of HBCUs?
Though every student’s needs are different, HBCUs can be a great option for some Black students. Studies have shown higher levels of engagement and higher graduation rates among Black students at HBCUs. Additionally, they often have more institutional aid set aside for Black students.
