United Negro College Fund (UNCF) — Multiple Awards
Hundreds of scholarships throughout the year; many HBCU-focused with varying amounts and majors.
- Status: Rolling / multiple windows
- Who: Black students; HBCU & partner programs
Scholarships & Fellowships Every Black Student Should Know (Fall 2025)
Opportunities to Fund Your Education & Future
Curated awards for Black students and underrepresented scholars — undergrad, grad, STEM, leadership, and public service.
Confirm dates on the official sites before applying.
Scholarship
Fellowship/Program
STEM
HBCU/Org-Specific
Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) Scholarships
$2,500–$15,000 scholarships plus leadership/development pipelines across 47 public HBCUs.
- Status: Rolling / cohort windows
- Who: Students at publicly supported HBCUs
Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship
Multi-year support plus mentorship and leadership training; highly regarded national award.
- Status: Annual cycle (fall → winter)
- Who: HS seniors w/ need & leadership
QuestBridge National College Match
Full four-year scholarships via partner colleges (tuition/fees/room/board) for high-achieving, low-income seniors.
- Status: Fixed annual deadlines
- Who: HS seniors meeting academic & income criteria
Coca-Cola Scholars Program
$20,000 scholarships for leadership and service-minded high school seniors.
- Status: Annual fall application
- Who: HS seniors (U.S.)
Dell Scholars
Scholarship + success coaching + emergency funds; designed to support persistence through college.
- Status: Opens Dec; due early spring
- Who: Pell-eligible seniors in readiness programs
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP)
Gold-standard STEM grad funding: multi-year stipend + education allowance; diversity emphasized.
- Status: Discipline-specific Oct deadlines
- Who: Early graduate STEM researchers
DoD SMART Scholarship-for-Service
Full tuition + stipend + paid internships + post-grad DoD employment in 24 STEM fields.
- Status: Annual fall application
- Who: U.S. citizens in STEM majors
NOAA Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship
Up to ~$19K + paid NOAA internship for oceanic/atmospheric/environmental undergrads.
- Status: Opens late fall; due early year
- Who: STEM sophomores (env/ocean/atmo)
NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP)
Up to ~$20K/yr + paid research summers + NIH service commitment for biomedical careers.
- Status: Annual spring window
- Who: High-achieving, low-income undergrads
National GEM Consortium Fellowships (MS/PhD)
Tuition + stipend + paid industry/national-lab internships; built for URM grad talent in STEM.
- Status: Apps due mid-Nov (typ.)
- Who: URM students pursuing STEM grad degrees
ACS Scholars Program (Chemistry)
Up to ~$5K/yr for underrepresented chemistry and chemical-engineering majors.
- Status: Annual cycle
- Who: Undergrad chemistry-related majors
NSBE Scholarships (Multiple)
Corporate-backed awards for NSBE members (pre-college → grad); many cycles through fall.
- Status: Rolling/seasonal
- Who: NSBE student members
NABA Scholarships (Accounting/Finance)
Dozens of awards each year ($1K–$10K+), plus direct recruiting & professional development.
- Status: Annual cycles
- Who: NABA student members
NBNA Scholarships (Nursing)
National Black Nurses Association awards at all levels (LPN→Doctorate) + chapter opportunities.
- Status: Annual (spring)
- Who: NBNA members in nursing programs
NABJ Scholarships (Journalism/Media)
Multiple awards (often $2.5K–$3K) with mentorship & convention exposure for student journalists.
- Status: Fall & spring cycles
- Who: NABJ student members
USDA 1890 National Scholars Program
Full tuition + internship + job pathway at USDA for students at 1890 land-grant HBCUs.
- Status: Opens winter
- Who: 1890 HBCU students (Ag/STEM/Business)
Posse Foundation — Full-Tuition Leadership Awards
Full-tuition scholarships at partner schools; nomination-based leadership program.
- Status: Local nomination timelines
- Who: HS seniors with leadership potential
Executive Leadership Council (ELC) Scholarships
Business/STEM scholarships with mentorship & corporate access; strong HBCU presence.
- Status: Annual
- Who: Black undergrad/grad in business/STEM
CIA Undergraduate Scholarship (Stokes)
Tuition assistance + salary + summer work with a post-grad service commitment.
- Status: Annual fall window
- Who: U.S. citizens; GPA/background reqs
Harry S. Truman Scholarship
$30K toward grad school for public-service leaders; nomination via your campus.
- Status: Campus fall; national winter
- Who: Juniors committed to public service
Barry Goldwater Scholarship (Undergrad Research)
Premier undergrad research scholarship in STEM; campus nomination required.
- Status: Campus fall; national Jan
- Who: Sophomores/Juniors in STEM research
APSA Diversity Fellowship (Political Science PhD)
$5,000 over two years to support doctoral study; fall cycle opens late September.
- Status: Fall cycle
- Who: Future poli-sci PhD applicants
Blacks at Microsoft (BAM) Scholarship
Scholarships for tech-bound HS seniors, plus community, mentorship, and exposure.
- Status: Winter/Spring apps
- Who: Tech/business-focused HS seniors
National Urban League Scholarships
$1,500–$5,000 awards with leadership/networking pathways through the Urban League.
- Status: Annual (fall)
- Who: College students in community leadership
Google Pathways Fellowship (Tech)
$10K stipend + mentorship + recruiting exposure for underrepresented tech talent.
- Status: Fall deadline (check site)
- Who: Undergrad/grad in CS-related fields
McKinsey Forward Fellowship
Career skills program + mentorship + placement pipeline for underrepresented talent.
- Status: Fall cycle
- Who: Undergrad/early-career professionals
Maximize Your Shot
- Batch work: Reuse a tuned personal statement; customize intro + outcomes per program.
- Stack awards: Pair a big national with HBCU/field-specific/local funds.
- Keep a packet: Resume, transcript, recommendation list, headshot, optional portfolio link.
- Calendar it: Put application windows in your calendar with a 2-week & 48-hour reminder.
Programs change. Always confirm current eligibility & deadlines on the official website before applying.
