If there's one thing I've learned since getting involved in the scholarship space, it's that scholarships come in all shapes and sizes.
By this, I mean that not only do scholarships range in terms of amount and competitiveness, but they also cater to specific groups of students, including minorities.
If you're a high school, college, or graduate school student, and you fall into any type of ethnic, gender, or disability-related minority group, you'll be glad to know that there are in fact scholarships that are out there just for you!
So, in this post, I outline over 20 scholarships for minorities. Have a scroll through to check out some of these awesome opportunities!
Amount: $15,000
Deadline: January 4
Details: Open to all first-year law students of diverse backgrounds who 1) are committed to civic involvement that promotes diversity and will continue that commitment upon entering the legal profession; and 2) are committed to practicing in the location in which they are applying.
Amount: $30,000
Deadline: January 12
Details: Open to graduating minority high school seniors with financial need who are planning to attend four-year colleges and universities. Must be a US citizen to apply.
Amount: $5,000
Deadline: February 1
Details: Open to minority students in their final two years of undergraduate study or pursuing a graduate degree in landscape architecture.
Amount: $10,000
Deadline: February 4
Details: Open college graduates who will be entering into the first year of their initial postgraduate studies in sports administration or a related program. Minimum 3.2 GPA. Must be enrolled in an NCAA member institution.
Amount: $3,000
Deadline: Mid-February
Details: Open to junior and senior undergraduate students majoring in hospitality management or a related degree.
Amount: $1,000 - $5,000
Deadline: March 1
Details: Candidates for the law school scholarship must be accepted to or attending a Michigan law school or be a Michigan resident attending an accredited law school in the United States. Candidates for the paralegal and secretarial scholarships must be a Michigan resident majoring in paralegal or legal secretarial studies in an accredited program.
Amount: $2,500
Deadline: March 1
Details: Open to high school seniors of ethnic minorities who have been accepted into an ABET-accredited engineering program at a four-year college or university. Must be a US citizen.
Amount: N/A
Deadline: March 12
Details: For women and minority students pursuing degrees in video game arts at four-year colleges/universities. Must show dedication to supporting the LGBTQ+ community. Minimum 2.75 GPA.
Amount: up to $7,000
Deadline: March 17
Details: Open to students studying accounting at a Pennsylvania college or university. Minimum 3.0 GPA.
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: March 31
Details: Open to continuing or returning African American women pursuing undergraduate degrees.
Amount: $5,000
Deadline: Varies (April 15, October 1)
Details: Open to students studying abroad on any program offered by a DiversityAbroad.com member organization. Minimum 3.5 GPA.
Amount: Varies
Deadline: April 15
Details: Open to high school students planning to obtain a degree in the medical or rehabilitation field. Must be a resident of (or attending school in) Minnesota or Western Wisconsin.
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: May 8
Details: Open to undergraduate and graduate minority students in the US pursuing degrees in data science, business analytics, computer science, or computer information systems.
Amount: $1,500
Deadline: May 15
Details: Open to undergraduate students from groups who are underrepresented in the geosciences. Qualified applicants must be U.S. Citizens studying at an accredited university or college in one of GSA’s regional sections (including Canada and Mexico).
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: May 17
Details: Strong preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate an understanding of and commitment to the importance of diverse cultural backgrounds and experiences in newsrooms. You are eligible for these scholarships if you are EITHER:
-On the path to graduating from or have graduated from a Washington state high school
OR
-Attending a public or private college in Washington state
Amount: $1,500
Deadline: May 31
Details: Open to Asian American college seniors and college students (of all majors) who have exhibited exemplary leadership, vision, and passion that is blazing a trail for others to follow and changing lives in the Asian American community.
-Must be a US citizen
-Minimum 3.5 GPA
Amount: $1,000 - $4,000
Deadline: June 15
Details: Open to Black/African American, Hispanic, Native North American, and Pacific Islander students intent on pursuing a career in the actuarial profession. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0 is required to apply.
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: Varies (June 30, December 31)
Details: This is one of my own no-essay scholarship opportunities, open to high school students of all years! As with all of my scholarships, I highly encourage minority students to apply.
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: July 3
Details: Open to Illinois high school seniors planning to attend four-year colleges and universities. Minimum 3.0 GPA.
Amount: $5,000
Deadline: August 15
Details: Open to minority students majoring in civil, chemical, mechanical, electrical or environmental engineering or one of the environmental sciences (e.g. geology, hydrogeology, ecology).
Amount: $500 - $1,000
Deadline: September 1
Details: Open to all high school and college students in the US, including DACA recipients. Students who identify as part of a minority or who are/will be first-generation college students are encouraged to apply.
Amount: Full-tuition
Deadline: September 15
Details: Open to high school seniors from low-income households who are planning on enrolling in a four-year college or university in the US. Minimum 3.3 GPA.
Amount: $1,500
Deadline: September 30
Details: Open to undergraduate students who self-identify as one or more of the following: Woman, LGBTQIA+, Person with disability, Military Veteran, Indigenous, Native American or Alaskan Native, Asian American, Black, African American, Hispanic or Latino/Latina, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander.
*This scholarship is open to international students (see scholarship page for the list of countries).
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: October 31
Details: Open to minority high school seniors, college students, and graduate students who are currently or who will be studying law.
Amount: $750
Deadline: November 15
Details: Open to young women or gender non-conforming undergraduate students attending college in the US.
Amount: $4,000
Deadline: November 15
Details: Open to minority graduate students enrolled in accredited masters or doctoral programs.
Amount: $4,000 per year
Deadline: Varies
Details: Open to Florida residents in a teacher education program at any of FFMT's participating universities/colleges. Must be a junior or senior in college, or a graduate school student.
Amount: Varies
Deadline: Varies
Details: Open to minority undergraduate students pursuing degrees in STEM - specifically engineering or computer science.
In addition to all of the scholarships for minorities that exist, there are also tons and tons of great free resources out there for minority students.
Some are college admissions-related, while others are paying for college or career-focused. If you're looking for additional reading, check these out first!