The number of black students who attend college is on the rise. In order to keep driving that number upwards, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) offers grants and scholarships to those who apply. The UNCF says it is, "the nation’s largest, oldest, and most successful minority higher education assistance organization. UNCF provides operating funds and technology enhancement services for 39 member historically black colleges and universities."
On its website, the UNCF's statistics are quite impressive. In the past 65 years, the organization has raised over $3 billion for African American students who desire to pursue a higher education.
Black Scholarships
With funding provided by the UNCF, these following scholarships offer high school seniors a chance to go to university.
The UNCF-Nissan Scholarship gives away $10,000 for students living in Los Angeles, CA and Nashville, TN. The student must major in one of these areas: business, communications, creative design, design, engineering, finance, law, marketing or public relations. The student is also limited to only applying to Historically Black Colleges and Universities, otherwise known as HBCUs. S/he must apply with a 3.0 GPA or better and fill out an application and FAFSA.Deadline: February 28th.
The Toyota/UNCF Scholarship gives away $7500 for students majoring in the areas of: engineering, business, finance, economics, accounting, information systems, marketing, communications, computer science, liberal arts, political science, English, history, psychology, electrical engineering, information technology, computer engineering, mechanical engineering or management information systems, according to their website. The student must possess a GPA of 3.0 or higher and fill out a general application and FAFSA. Scholarships can only be used at certain HBCUs. Deadline: October 26th.
The John Lennon Endowed Scholarship gives away $5000 to students who major in the arts. This includes: performing arts, music, dance, theater or communications. The student must consult with the fund to see if the scholarship is renewable for all four years. To apply, the student must have a 3.0 GPA or higher, and provide two letters of recommendation, a transcript and a photo. S/he must fill out the application form and submit an autobiographical essay. The scholarship can only be used at UNCF member schools. Deadline: February 16th.
The black community, led by the UNCF, has rallied around its students to offer financial aid. African American scholars should take a look at the three scholarships listed above and apply if eligible. It may take quite a bit of time and research to find money for school, but in the end, it is well worth the effort.
Scholarships for African Americans
This article, Scholarships for Black Students, discusses two more scholarships available only to black high school seniors.
This article, Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund, discusses which students are eligible for these unique scholarships and the partnering corporations that offer money.
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