34 Exclusive Scholarships for Black Students

About scholarships for Black students

With college costs rising, paying for college has become even more challenging, especially for minority groups, such as Black students. For starters, Black students on average have less family wealth to draw on. In 2016, the median wealth of white families was $171,000, while the median wealth of Black families was $17,409. Financial aid often doesn't go far enough for students. Unable to rely on family support, more than 50% of Black students use student loans to pay for school, compared to 40.2% of white students. Therefore, roughly 85% of Black Bachelor’s degree recipients carry student loan debt, compared to 69% of white bachelor’s degree recipients.

The resulting financial burden of going to college is staggering. In total, Black college graduates owe approximately $53,000 in student loan debt, compared to the $28,000 that white college graduates typically owe. In addition to having more student debt to pay off, black students are stuck with their debt for a longer period of time. White borrowers pay down their education debt at an average rate of 10% per year, while black borrowers can afford just 4% per year. It should come as no surprise then, that black students are 5x more likely to default on their loans than white students.

Consequently, scholarships are a vital resource for black students. Scholarships are merit-based awards that do not have to be repaid. Approximately 25% of college costs are funded by scholarships and grants. Scholarships can be earned in a variety of ways, by school, by field of study, by demographic group, by geographical region, and even through professional organizations.

To make things easier for you, we’ve assembled this scholarship list exclusively for black students. These scholarships are unique to Bold.org, a scholarship program dedicated to providing financial assistance to all students. To begin, select one of the scholarships in the list above and submit your application today!

How important is higher education for an African-American?

Only 29% of African-American adults between the ages of 25 and 29 have a bachelor’s degree or a more advanced college degree, yet 45% of white adults in the same age group have one. Similarly, only 40% of Black 25 to 29-year-olds have a two-year college degree or more, while 56% of white adults of the same age have one.

The disparity in education between white and Black adults contributes to the underrepresentation of Black workers in high-paying fields, such as management, STEM, and law. The scholarships we provide for African-American students can help you pay for the degree you desire and break into the field of your choice beyond the oppressive societal barriers seen today.

How important are African-American scholarships?

Scholarships are a critical way for African-American students to pursue higher education with minimal student loans. By completing a degree, Black students will have the opportunity to pursue careers in high-paying fields that are currently white-dominated, diluting the racial wealth gap and paving the way for more diversity in the US workforce.

The 15 African-American scholarships listed below are intended to help Black students achieve their goals in higher education and to provide these students with more career opportunities. Scholarships for African-American students have a variety of requirements and award amounts, but they are all great opportunities that you can apply to for free on Bold.org.

How to qualify for African American scholarships

To start applying for minority scholarships, simply create your free Bold.org profile by clicking on any of the scholarships above. Then, you can filter the scholarships by category to find scholarships that you're eligible for. Choosing the "Diversity and Inclusion" category will provide you with a list of scholarships for African American students and other historically underrepresented groups.

Some scholarships will have additional requirements, such as requiring that applicants demonstrate financial need, are undergraduate students, are African American women, are graduating high school seniors, etc. The eligibility requirements of each scholarship will be listed in the description.

Types of scholarships available to Black students

There are many scholarship awards available for African American students, with some based on academic achievement, fields of study, or extracurricular experience.

Academic merit-based scholarships

Some scholarship awards seek to encourage students who demonstrate their academic achievements on their profiles. Scholarships with minimum GPA requirements, for example, aim to support eligible applicants who have maintained a high GPA throughout their education.

Level of education

There are scholarships available to support Black students in all levels of education. Many scholarships are aimed towards Black high school seniors or college students. There are plenty of scholarships available for undergraduate students, high school students, and even graduate students!

Major-based scholarships

Many scholarships are open to any student in a certain field of study, such as Black students pursuing computer science or entrepreneurship. Finding scholarships for African American students that also have major restrictions will also improve your chances of receiving scholarship awards, as there will be fewer eligible applicants.

How to find scholarships for Black students

You can start your scholarship search on Bold.org, where you can find hundreds of unique scholarship opportunities to help you attend college. You can sort scholarships by category, allowing you to find scholarships for Black students pursuing specific fields.

When to start applying for African American scholarships

Since there is no limit to the number of scholarships you can win on Bold.org, you should start your search for financial assistance as early as possible. Black high school students are eligible for many scholarships, but you can continue applying throughout your higher education journey, and you can even find scholarships to fund your graduate degree.

Many students begin their scholarship search as high school students, and there are many scholarships designed specifically to help graduating high school seniors gain the necessary financial aid so that each student can pursue their undergraduate degree.

What to consider when applying for African American scholarships

As a minority student, keep in mind that there are countless opportunities for you to fund your higher education dreams. Intellectually gifted African Americans can find many merit awards to put towards an undergraduate or graduate degree.

However, if academic performance isn't your strong suit, there's no need to worry. There are plenty of scholarships with no minimum GPA requirements, where you can highlight your personal success skills, hobbies, community service experience, etc.

How to qualify for African American scholarships

To start applying for minority scholarships, simply create your free Bold.org profile by clicking on any of the scholarships above. Then, you can filter the scholarships by category to find scholarships that you're eligible for. Choosing the "Diversity and Inclusion" category will provide you with a list of scholarships for African American students and other historically underrepresented groups.

Some scholarships will have additional requirements, such as requiring that applicants demonstrate financial need, are undergraduate students, are African American women, are graduating high school seniors, etc. The eligibility requirements of each scholarship will be listed in the description.

Types of scholarships available to Black students

There are many scholarship awards available for African American students, with some based on academic achievement, fields of study, or extracurricular experience.

Academic merit-based scholarships

Some scholarship awards seek to encourage students who demonstrate their academic achievements on their profiles. Scholarships with minimum GPA requirements, for example, aim to support eligible applicants who have maintained a high GPA throughout their education.

Level of education

There are scholarships available to support Black students in all levels of education. Many scholarships are aimed towards Black high school seniors or college students. There are plenty of scholarships available for undergraduate students, high school students, and even graduate students!

Major-based scholarships

Many scholarships are open to any student in a certain field of study, such as Black students pursuing computer science or entrepreneurship. Finding scholarships for African American students that also have major restrictions will also improve your chances of receiving scholarship awards, as there will be fewer eligible applicants.

How to find scholarships for Black students

You can start your scholarship search on Bold.org, where you can find hundreds of unique scholarship opportunities to help you attend college. You can sort scholarships by category, allowing you to find scholarships for Black students pursuing specific fields.

When to start applying for African American scholarships

Since there is no limit to the number of scholarships you can win on Bold.org, you should start your search for financial assistance as early as possible. Black high school students are eligible for many scholarships, but you can continue applying throughout your higher education journey, and you can even find scholarships to fund your graduate degree.

Many students begin their scholarship search as high school students, and there are many scholarships designed specifically to help graduating high school seniors gain the necessary financial aid so that each student can pursue their undergraduate degree.

What to consider when applying for African American scholarships

As a minority student, keep in mind that there are countless opportunities for you to fund your higher education dreams. Intellectually gifted African Americans can find many merit awards to put towards an undergraduate or graduate degree.

However, if academic performance isn't your strong suit, there's no need to worry. There are plenty of scholarships with no minimum GPA requirements, where you can highlight your personal success skills, hobbies, community service experience, etc.

Are there scholarships for black college students?

Many scholarship programs are committed to supporting underrepresented minority students through their college education. As part of this mission, Bold.org offers many scholarships exclusively for Black students, Hispanic American students, and other BIPOC students with financial need.

Are there STEM scholarships for Black students?

STEM is just one field where African-American workers are underrepresented. In computer science and other mathematics-based careers, there are 8 times as many white workers as Black workers. To help reduce this gap, there are several scholarships on Bold.org specifically for African-American scholars in STEM, such as the Coding for Minorities Scholarship and the Black Engineering Leaders Grant.

Are there scholarships on Bold.org for African-American students at HBCUs?

Historically Black Colleges and Universities are schools established prior to the 1964 Civil Rights Act and were created to give the Black population access to higher education. HBCUs are still critical to the Black community and though they make up only 3% of United States colleges, 10% of African American scholars attend an HBCU. Nearly 20% of Black graduates come from HBCUs and 25% of African-Americans with STEM degrees graduate from an HBCU.

Even though HBCUs have 28% lower costs than non-HBCUs, it can still be difficult for students to pay tuition, housing, and other fees. Bold.org has scholarships specifically for students attending HBCUs, such as the Homer L. Graham Memorial Scholarship listed above.

Should Black students only apply for scholarships with racial eligibility?

While the scholarships listed above as well as other scholarships specifically provided for Black students are great opportunities, Black students can also apply to more general scholarships. The limited eligibility from scholarships designed for African-American members will increase your chances of winning, but there are many other easy and helpful scholarships available for students to apply to. Check out our easy scholarships list for more opportunities.

What happens when I win a scholarship?

The scholarships listed above will go directly towards your tuition and will be sent to your financial aid office. If you’re a high school student, your award will be saved and sent to the college you choose for your education. Check out the terms for our scholarship opportunities here for more information.

How can I improve my chances of winning financial aid?

There are many ways to increase your chances of securing financial aid so you can afford your college degree. On your profile, you can demonstrate financial need as well as your academic achievement to stand out when applying for scholarships. Applying early and often to scholarships can also boost your chances of winning college funding.

How many scholarships can you get?

If you're in need of financial support, look no further! There is no limit to the number of college scholarships you can win on Bold.org. Apply for as many scholarships as possible to maximize your winnings and offset your tuition costs. If you're in high school, you can start earning scholarships to use towards your undergraduate degree!

How can I use my scholarships?

When graduate or undergraduate students win scholarships, the money is sent straight to your college to go towards your tuition or related costs. If you win as a high school student, the scholarship award will be held in an account for you until you enroll in a college or university.

Are scholarships taxable income?

Scholarships from Bold.org are a great source of financial aid and don't count as taxable income. Once you win, we'll send the money to your school for you, and you'll be all set.

What scholarship program should I use?

There is a plethora of scholarships available, but you can find a wide variety of grants, merit scholarships, and easy scholarships on Bold.org, a scholarship program that is completely free and easy to use. Just click on any of the scholarships above to create your profile and gain access to hundreds of scholarships.