Criminal Justice Scholarships

Massachusetts residents with at least one year of state residency pursuing a designated high-demand major at an eligible Massachusetts public or independent institution with a minimum 3.0 GPA may apply via the MASSAid Student Portal. Awards of up to $10,000 per year are available for full-time study in fields such as STEM, health professions, education, social work, criminal justice, economics, or business. Amounts vary by institution type and enrollment level. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or Title IV-eligible non-citizens who have filed the FAFSA and not previously earned a bachelor's degree. The program encourages degree completion in disciplines that address Commonwealth workforce needs.

Undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at accredited four-year universities who are pursuing fraud examination or anti-fraud careers may apply. Eligible majors include accounting, finance, business administration, criminal justice, or similar fraud-related fields. Undergraduates must be at least in the second half of their sophomore year; graduate students must meet enrollment hour requirements. Twenty-three recipients receive tiered awards of up to $10,000, along with one year of ACFE membership. Funds are paid directly to the recipient's university. Complete the online application with recommendation forms. The program honors ACFE members Larry Jennings and Tracy Ritchie, who lost their lives in a 1997 terrorist attack in Karachi, Pakistan.

Students residing in eligible Virginia counties or cities who plan to pursue careers as firefighters, police officers, or emergency medical providers may apply. Eligible applicants include those currently enrolled in related training, past or present volunteers in those fields, or dependents of full-time or part-time first responders. A 3.0 GPA is required. The John Randolph Foundation's Bobby Owen Memorial Scholarship provides up to $5,000. Apply online by February 15. Foundation trustees, employees, and their immediate families are ineligible, though student interns may apply.

Undergraduate sophomores, juniors, or seniors with at least a 3.0 GPA majoring in criminal justice may apply for the National Association of Black Narcotic Agents' Carroll R. Gibson Memorial Scholarship for use at an HBCU. Awards range up to $5,000. Submit a 300 to 500 word essay on law-enforcement reform, an unofficial transcript, a professor recommendation on official letterhead, and application materials. A personal interview is required. Applicants must be active in school and community.

Workforce-focused COSI scholarships at Colorado Mountain College for students pursuing credentials in dental hygiene, human services, or first-responder programs. Eligible applicants are Colorado residents or ASSET students with in-state or in-district tuition status who meet income guidelines, maintain satisfactory academic progress, and submit a current FAFSA or CASFA. CMC's single COSI application routes qualified students to workforce awards ranging from $1,500 to $4,500 based on enrolled credits and program. Scholars work with COSI staff for retention support. Apply when the COSI cycle is open; funding is first-come, first-served.

The International Association of Emergency Managers awards competitive scholarships to students pursuing an associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degree in emergency management, disaster management, or a closely related field. Undergraduate applicants must be enrolled full time; graduate students may attend full or part time. Students anywhere in the world may apply, and applicants must still be enrolled in school when awards are made. Recent awards have ranged from about $1,500 to $4,000, and the Robert C. Bohlmann, CEM, Scholarship goes to the highest-scoring undergraduate applicant each year. Applicants follow the checklist for their student category and email all materials, including essays, transcripts, and references, to the scholarship administrator. The 2026 application window ran March 31 through May 31.

Scholarship for Austin Community College students in Emergency Services Professions, Criminal Justice, Fire Protection Technology, or Emergency Management programs. The $3,000 award covers tuition, fees, and educational expenses for students with at least a 2.5 college GPA and financial need verified by ACC Financial Aid. Applicants submit the ACC Foundation general scholarship application and essay through AcademicWorks by the May 1 priority deadline. The fund supports public safety and emergency response career pathways at ACC.

Minnesota students who are not POST licensed and are enrolled in a mandated POST skills program, the second year of a two-year law enforcement degree, or the third or fourth year of a four-year criminal justice program may apply for the Minnesota Sheriffs' Association (MSA) Law Enforcement Scholarship. Awards are $2,000. About 18 scholarships are available, supporting candidates who need help with training costs and those who excel academically. The Minnesota Sheriffs' Association funds the program because it sees pre-service education as central to preparing people for public safety careers.

U.S. military veterans, underprivileged citizens with income below $26,500, or rural government employees (individuals or collective agency applications) enrolled in accredited IT, medical, first responder, or emergency management programs or certification courses may apply for the Lois Parker Foundation Scholarship. Awards are up to $2,000 per student. Applications are reviewed year-round with no fixed deadline. Submit a completed application, an essay of at least 300 words on a topic related to those fields, an enrollment verification letter, a state driver's license or ID, and eligibility documents (DD-214 for veterans, income tax statement for underprivileged applicants, or proof of government employment for rural government employees). Applications missing required documents are not considered.

The Andrew Young School Undergraduate Scholarship provides financial assistance to outstanding leaders and scholars enrolled in degree programs at Georgia State University's Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. Awards of up to $2,000 are made based on academic merit, leadership, and demonstrated financial need. Recipients must be undergraduate students pursuing an AYSPS major such as criminal justice, economics, public policy, or social work foundations. Students apply through the school's scholarship process; contact the Office of Academic Assistance at 404-413-0021 for current application instructions. Awards are contingent on final clearance by the Office of Student Financial Aid and may not exceed the student's estimated cost of attendance.