Native American & Alaska Native Scholarships

Fellowship program supporting Indigenous American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander graduate students pursuing STEM master's or doctoral degrees at Montana State University. SIGP strengthens recruitment, retention, and graduation of Indigenous students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through scholarships, professional development, and community support. Awards range from $20,000 to $40,000 depending on program and funding level. MSU partners with the Montana University System on this Sloan Foundation grant. Interested Indigenous STEM graduate applicants should contact the Graduate School to discuss eligibility and application steps.

Members of U.S.-based Indigenous tribes who hold a bachelor's degree and are enrolled or planning to enroll within the next year in a master's, doctorate, or applied conservation training program at a U.S. institution may apply through nomination. Awards provide up to $25,000 total for tuition, living expenses, and field costs, disbursed quarterly above other funding sources. The number of awards varies. A nominator (such as an academic advisor, graduate committee member, or tribal leader) must complete part of the application and serve in a mentorship role. Nominations open each October; contact scholarship@wildnet.org for details.

The Indian Health Service Preparatory Scholarship supports American Indian and Alaska Native undergraduates who are members or descendants of federally recognized, state-recognized, or terminated Tribes or Alaska Native villages. Applicants must be enrolled or accepted in preparatory courses (to strengthen science, math, or other basic skills) or prerequisite courses required for admission to an eligible health professions degree program on the IHS priority list. The award pays tuition, required fees, and a monthly living stipend for up to two years of full-time study, running August 1 through May 31 of the academic year. Recipients sign an agreement committing to continue toward their identified health profession degree. Apply online through the IHS Scholarship Program website with transcripts, essays, faculty evaluations, and tribal documentation by February 28 at 7:00 p.m. Eastern each year.

Running Strong for American Indian Youth's Dreamstarter program awards $20,000 grants to Native youth ages 18 to 30 to carry out a community project inspired by their dream, in partnership with a nonprofit mentor organization of their choice. Applicants must be enrolled in a state or federally recognized tribal nation, and each year's projects must fit an announced theme (the 2026 theme was food sovereignty). The mentor organization must be a registered 501(c)(3) or 7871 nonprofit, and selected Dreamstarters and their mentors attend the Dreamstarter Academy training together. Applications for the most recent cycle opened in late August and were due January 3 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern, with awardees announced in late February. Since 2015 the program has funded more than 100 Native youth-led projects.

The Michigan Indian Tuition Waiver, enacted by Public Act 174 of 1976, waives tuition for eligible Native American students at Michigan's public community colleges and universities. To qualify, a student must have been a legal Michigan resident for at least 12 consecutive months, qualify for admission at a Michigan public institution, be an enrolled citizen of a U.S. federally recognized Tribe, and be certified by their Tribal Enrollment Department as one-quarter or more Native American blood quantum. The waiver covers tuition (not fees) with no dollar cap or degree-level limit, and there is no application deadline; applications are processed continuously, typically in two to four weeks. Students complete the MITW application, attach a copy of their Tribal ID, and submit it to their Tribal Enrollment Department for certification before it is forwarded to MiLEAP.

Graduate fellowship for Native American students enrolled in a Montana tribe who are Montana residents and accepted into any graduate degree program at Montana State University. The award is $15,000 and applications are submitted through Cat Scholarships. MSU offers this fellowship alongside other Indigenous graduate funding such as Sloan SIGP and Montana INBRE. Eligible students should also complete the FAFSA; the December 1 priority filing date applies for need-based programs. Contact the Graduate School or Office of Financial Aid for application timing within Cat Scholarships.

The Udall Foundation's Native American Congressional Internship places American Indian and Alaska Native college students, graduate students, and law students in Congressional offices, committees, and federal agencies in Washington, D.C. for ten weeks each summer. Interns learn the federal legislative process firsthand and study the government-to-government relationship between Tribes and the United States, meeting with members of Congress, agency leaders, and Native professionals. Each intern receives a $12,500 award covering housing, transportation, per diem, and educational expenses, plus Foundation-arranged housing during orientation. Applicants must be Native American or Alaska Native and enrolled in college or graduate study. Applications, including three references and a resume, are emailed to the Foundation and are due January 15 each year, with interns announced in March.

Minnesota first-dollar tuition and fee scholarship for BSU undergraduates pursuing a first bachelor's degree who are enrolled members or citizens of a federally recognized American Indian tribe or Canadian First Nation. Minnesota residents qualifying for resident tuition are eligible, as are non-residents who are enrolled members of a Minnesota Tribal Nation. The program covers BSU tuition and fees so other grants and scholarships can address housing, books, and living costs. Submit the American Indian Scholarship Program application with proof of tribal enrollment and fewer than 180 attempted college credits.

Full-time U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents at accredited four-year colleges, community colleges, portfolio schools, or art schools may apply if they identify as African-American/Black American, Indigenous American, Asian-American/Pacific Islander, or Latino/Hispanic and study art direction, copywriting, production, editing, illustration, or marketing strategy/analytics. Two recipients each receive a $10,000 scholarship plus one year of mentorship from a Saatchi & Saatchi professional, including monthly virtual meetups and email and text access. Complete the Giving Back Fund application and submit a creative pitch as an unlisted YouTube video (three minutes maximum). Optional project samples may be included. Priority goes to students who demonstrate financial need. Recipients are selected by a panel of creatives, strategists, data analysts, and talent managers at Saatchi & Saatchi and partner organizations.

This College of Engineering and Mines scholarship at the University of North Dakota provides financial assistance to Indigenous students based on financial need, academic performance, participation in AISES and other Indigenous student organizations, and community outreach. Awards can reach up to ten thousand dollars and support workforce development through internships, leadership programming, and conference travel. Students apply through UND Scholarship Central alongside other college awards. The scholarship promotes STEM education for Indigenous students pursuing engineering degrees at UND.