Native American & Alaska Native Scholarships

BIPOC high school seniors or recent graduates from Colorado, Wyoming, or Montana who plan to enroll in an accredited two- or four-year program in interior design, architecture, or environmental design may apply for the IIDA Rocky Mountain Chapter Elevate Scholarship. Two awards of $7,500 each are given. Funds are paid directly to the recipient's post-secondary institution and may be used for tuition, housing, supplies, or related program expenses. Submit one official high school transcript, one letter of recommendation, and a 500-word essay responding to the required prompt. You may optionally include one to three examples of creative design work.

Graduating high school students of color (African American, Latinx, Asian/Pacific Islander, or Native American) who identify as agnostic, atheist, humanist, freethinker, or secular may apply for one of six scholarships from Black Skeptics Group Los Angeles. Preference goes to first-generation college students; students in foster care, who are homeless, undocumented, disabled, or LGBTQI+ are encouraged to apply. Six $5,000 awards are granted. Recipients are announced in August. Submit the online application with a letter of recommendation, proof of admission to a two- or four-year college, and a 500 to 700 word essay on your secular identity, humanist values, and community work.

U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or DACA recipients who are African American/Black, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Hispanic/Latino, or Native American/American Indian may apply for The LAGRANT Foundation Graduate Scholarship. Applicants must be full-time graduate students at a four-year accredited U.S. institution, carrying at least 9 units per semester, with a 3.2 GPA and a major emphasizing advertising, marketing, or public relations. At least one year of study must remain, and Ph.D. students are eligible. Twenty recipients each receive $3,750. Winners must attend foundation scholarship activities, including career development workshops and networking events with industry professionals. Submit the online PDF application by the published deadline.

Enrolled members of federally or state-recognized tribes, or descendants with documented tribal affiliation, who are full-time students at accredited tribal, public, or private nonprofit colleges with at least a 2.0 GPA may apply through one annual College Fund application. U.S. citizens and Canadians eligible to attend U.S. colleges under the Jay Treaty may qualify. Awards average up to $3,000. Submit your application with a digital photo, transcript, and proof of tribal enrollment or descent by May 31 for priority review.

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color graduate students who are California residents enrolled in an ALA-accredited library or information studies program may apply for the CLA Scholarship in Memory of Edna Yelland. Up to three recipients each receive $2,500 and a one-year California Library Association student membership. Applicants must have completed at least one graduate course and intend to work in a California library after graduation. Submit the online application with coursework records, financial need documentation, two professional references, and an essay of 1,000 words or fewer by the July deadline.

U.S. Indigenous students pursuing a degree or certificate in hospitality, tourism, recreation, culinary arts, or a related field may apply for the American Indigenous Tourism Association Tourism and Hospitality Scholarship. Applicants need tribal documentation, at least a 2.5 GPA, and 12 volunteer hours with AIT, a tribe, or a public-lands institution. Five scholarships are awarded annually at $1,000 per fall and spring semester, up to $2,000 per academic year, paid directly to the student's college or university. Complete the application with proof of enrollment and a 500-word essay by the deadline. AIT supports Indigenous students building careers in tourism while sustaining their cultural legacy.

Enrolled members of American Indian, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian tribes pursuing healthcare degrees at accredited institutions may apply for the NSCDA American Indian Medical Scholarship. Scholarships provide $1,500 per semester for up to eight semesters while recipients maintain good academic standing. Funds are restricted to tuition and specific academic expenses. Applicants must plan careers serving Native communities, demonstrate financial need, and commit to working in those communities after graduation. New applications are due July 1 for fall and November 1 for spring.

Undergraduate and graduate students who are enrolled citizens of a Native Nation, including non-federally recognized Nations in the continental U.S. or Alaska, may apply through the Association on American Indian Affairs portal. Recipients receive $1,000 per semester until graduation while maintaining a 2.5 GPA and full-time enrollment at an accredited institution pursuing an associate degree or higher. Applicants must provide Tribal enrollment documentation, a current transcript and class schedule, and essays demonstrating connection to their Native Nation and Native Country. Certificate programs and seminaries are not funded. The Association on American Indian Affairs has provided Native American student scholarships since 1947.

Incoming first-year students who are not residents of Iowa and are from historically underrepresented populations at the University of Iowa (including Alaskan Native, American Indian/Native American, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, or two or more underrepresented races), or who participated in a federally funded Upward Bound program, may be considered for the Advantage Iowa Award. Merit is also a factor. Award amounts vary. Recipients must enroll full-time and maintain at least a 2.0 GPA. Consideration is tied to admission; there is no separate fixed merit deadline described beyond the university's general scholarship review process.

Undergraduate Native American or Alaska Native students who are enrolled members of a federally recognized tribe and demonstrate financial need may apply for term-based scholarship support paid directly to their accredited U.S. college or university. Award amounts vary based on need for the term applied, covering up to one-half of tuition costs. Applicants must pursue a first bachelor's degree with at least 6 credits per term, maintain a minimum 2.25 cumulative GPA after the first college term, and complete the FAFSA. Submit a complete application with all required documents by the deadline matching your academic calendar: July 1 for fall terms or November 1 for winter and spring terms.