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Scholarships
Top history scholarships for you
Find scholarships for history majors that can help you pay for college.
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Scholarships for history majors
Duque de Braganca Scholarship
Due: 7/31/26
$2,500
The Duque de Braganca Scholarship provides an annual scholarship for a student that demonstrates an interest in Portuguese history. This scholarship is made possible by the generous donation of Christopher St. Victor-de Pinho. Applicants must be attending a baccalaureate or graduate degree program at an accredited college or university in the United States. High school seniors or entering freshmen are not eligible. Applicants must be PALCUS members. They must also be U.S. citizens or permanent legal U.S. residents. Applicants must have at least 25 percent Portuguese ancestry. Applicants must submit the Instructor's Recommendation Form from a teacher, instructor, or professor. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact PALCUS for more information.
OAH Presidents' Travel Fund for Emerging Historians
Due: 10/1/26
|No Recommendations Required
|No min. GPA Required
|No Transcripts Required
$750
The Presidents' Travel Fund for Emerging Historians provides travel stipends to graduate students to present at the OAH Conference on American History. In addition to travel funds, recipients will be provided with a 90-minute meeting with a mentor at the conference as well as other networking opportunities. Eligible applicants are current graduate students or recent PhDs in history whose papers or panels/sessions have been accepted by the OAH Program Committee for inclusion on the OAH Conference on American History program. Preference will be given to those who are presenting at the conference for the first time. Applicants should email their paper title or panel title, an abstract of the accepted presentation, a CV (indicating the anticipated year of completion of the PhD or the year the PhD was granted), and a narrative. Applicants must also include the dates for the years of graduate studies (MA and PhD), if they have received additional financial support for attending the conference, if they have received any past OAH travel awards, if they are applying for other OAH travel awards, and if, in addition to presenting, they organized the panel. Please visit the award's website or contact the Organization of American Historians for more information.
Antonette Willa Skupa Turner Scholarship
Due: 2/28/27
|No min. GPA Required
$1,000
The Antonette Willa Skupa Turner Scholarship is named after the granddaughter of John and Annie Sadilek Pavelka, prototypes for both Anton and Antonia Shimerda in Cather's novel My Antonia and Anton and Mary Rosicky in Cather's short story "Neighbour Rosicky." The purpose of the Antonette Willa Skupa Turner Scholarship is to provide financial assistance to graduates of Nebraska high schools who plan to enroll as English or history majors in accredited colleges or universities. Applicants must be high school seniors who are prospective first year college students and plan to continue their education as English or history majors in accredited colleges or universities. Selection is based on intellectual promise, creativity and character of the applicant. Applicants must submit a letter of recommendation from their English or History teacher. Applicants must submit an original essay. It is also permissible to use a previous essay the applicant might have written on Cather and one that they can adapt to the scholarship guidelines. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Willa Cather Foundation for more information.
Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society, Inc. Graduate Student Scholarships
Due: 3/1/27
|No essay
|No min. GPA Required
$1,250
Phi Alpha Theta encourages student members to apply for one of three graduate scholarships. Applicants will be considered for all three. To be eligible, members must be entering graduate school for the first time in fall 2026 and must be pursuing a Master's degree in History or Library Science-Archives. Students currently enrolled in a graduate program are not eligible to apply. Students may receive the A. F. Zimmerman Scholarship worth $1,250, the Thomas S. Morgan Memorial Scholarship worth $1,000, and the William E. Parrish Scholarship worth $1,000. Letters of recommendation from each of the three individuals listed by the applicant in the application are required to be submitted. Applicants must submit a copy of their completed Graduate Student Scholarship Application and all supporting materials either electronically via email or by mail. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society, Inc. for more information.
Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society, Inc. Doctoral Student Scholarships
Due: 3/1/27
|No essay
|No min. GPA Required
$1,000
The Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society, Inc. Doctoral Student Scholarships will be awarded for advanced study by graduate student members who are pursuing a Ph.D. in History or Library Science-Archives and who have passed general examinations by February 16, 2026. Applicants must be a verified member of Phi Alpha Theta and will be considered for one of the following three awards: the John T. Maple Scholarship worth $1,000, the John Pine Memorial Award worth $1,000, and two additional awards worth $850 each. Letters of recommendation from each of the three individuals listed by the applicant in the application are required to be submitted. Applicants must submit a copy of their completed Doctoral Student Scholarship Application and all supporting materials either electronically via email or by mail. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society, Inc. for more information.
Walter Keith Irwin Memorial Scholarship
Due: 3/15/27
|No Recommendations Required
|No min. GPA Required
Varies
The Walter Keith Irwin Memorial Scholarship Fund was established by Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Shay. Students must reside with a familial guardian (parent, grandparent, uncle, etc.) that is active duty or retired military of any branch and be majoring in studies related to History or Aviation. High school county in Yuma or San Pasqual Valley High School is required. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Arizona Community Foundation for more information.
Ashbrook Scholarship
Due: 7/31/26
|No Transcripts Required
Varies
The Ashbrook Scholar Program is a rigorous and top-rated academic program for undergraduate students at Ashland University. Students pursuing a major or minor in political science, history, or political economy may receive a variable annual renewable scholarship to Ashland University. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Financial Aid Office for more information.
Alvin J. Preis Scholarship
Due: 7/31/26
|No essay
|No Recommendations Required
|No Transcripts Required
Varies
The Alvin J. Preis Scholarship is available to first-generation, full-time students majoring in history and/or English who are most qualified in their department. Most scholarship applications open in October and close from December to March. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Office of Student Financial Aid for more information.
Art History And Museum Studies Scholarship
Due: 7/31/26
|No Recommendations Required
|No min. GPA Required
|No Transcripts Required
Varies
The Art History and Museum Studies Scholarship supports students pursuing art history and museum studies. This scholarship is granted to students who submit a strong written portfolio or personal reflection on the role of the arts or museums. Applicants must submit an excellent example of art historical writing, an exhibition review, and an essay. Submissions will be assessed for originality, creativity, clarity of writing, and individual voice. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.
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What are history scholarships?
History scholarships are financial aid for college created specifically for history students. Scholarships for history majors can help students access higher education opportunities that otherwise may be out of reach because of financial reasons. All scholarships are free money for college that you don’t have to pay back.
Eligibility requirements for history scholarships
Before you apply for history scholarships, make sure you check the eligibility requirements to see if you qualify. These may include:
- Minimum GPA
- Community service experience
- U.S. citizenship
- Plans to attend an accredited program
- Leadership skills
- FAFSA® submission
Scholarship requirements vary, so don’t assume you won’t qualify. Keep searching for scholarships that best match your qualifications.
Are history scholarships worth my time?
If you want to get as much free money as you can for your education, then yes! You’ll find some scholarships are quick and easy to apply for, while others require more time and effort. Typically, fewer students apply for scholarships that require work (like writing an essay) which means you could have better odds of winning if you apply for one of those.
Pro tip: Don’t pass up on history scholarships that have smaller award amounts. ($) There’s typically less competition for them—and they add up!
How do I find history scholarships?
From your school to national organizations, there are so many places to find history scholarships that can help you pay for college.
Scholarship resources
- The financial aid office at a college or career school
- Organizations (such as professional associations) related to your field of interest
- Federal agencies
- Free scholarship search engines, like Scholly Scholarships
- Local libraries, businesses, or associations
Your high school guidance office is a great place to start when looking for local scholarships. You could also try doing a search for your city’s name and “community foundation,” or the county you live in and “foundation.”
Scholly Scholarships
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Hot tip! Smaller scholarships may have less competition, increasing your odds of winning.
What types of history scholarships are available?
Need-based scholarships
These are scholarships for students who have demonstrated a financial need. There’s no universal number or set income level that tells you if you qualify. How each scholarship defines what financial need means varies. The federal government as well as specific organizations, corporations, and colleges/universities/schools offer need-based scholarships.
Merit scholarships
Merit scholarships are for students who have shown high academic, athletic, or extracurricular achievement over their high school careers. Not all schools/colleges offer merit-aid—highly selective schools typically don’t. The process for applying for merit scholarships varies. For merit scholarships offered through colleges and universities, you generally don’t have to do anything other than complete the application to the school itself. For some schools, you need to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) to be eligible.
Career-specific grants or scholarships
These are awarded to students who know they want a career in a specific industry. Maybe they know they want to be a teacher, a nurse, or an engineer. To be eligible for grants, students must submit the FAFSA®. To find career-specific scholarships, try searching for your major and “association.”
Community or nonprofit scholarships
Nonprofit and community organizations often receive funding from donors to create scholarship programs for students who need them.
Tips for successful scholarship applications
- Pull together everything you need for the application including transcripts, so you can submit a complete scholarship application.
- You may need a recommendation letter or letters for a scholarship. Ask a teacher, employer, or someone else who knows you to write one for you—and be sure to give them enough time to do it.
- If you’re writing a scholarship essay, follow the prompt, answer the essay question completely, and write from your experience. A few well-written essays that you can reuse for different scholarship applications can really pay off.
- Highlight your strengths and achievements in your application.
- Talk about your financial need and what you would use the scholarship money for if you won. How would it help?
- Have to interview for a scholarship? Dress to impress in a professional outfit. And do your research! Look into how/why the scholarship was created. Try to bring up why it’s meaningful to you. Also, don’t forget to send a thank-you note afterwards.
- Keep track of all the deadlines for the scholarships you’re applying to. If you miss one, they may not extend the due date.
- Apply for scholarships year after year, all through college. As you continue your studies, gain more experience, and try new extracurricular activities in college, you might be eligible for more scholarships you weren’t originally qualified for.
Want more tips to up your chances of winning? Check out our scholarship guide for everything you need to know about finding and winning scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
These tips can help as you get ready to apply for history scholarships.
When are scholarship application deadlines?
There’s no standard deadline for scholarship applications. Each scholarship has its own deadline, so be sure to keep track of dates and make sure you don’t miss any deadlines of scholarships that you want to apply to.
Do you need to know which college you’re attending?
You don’t need to know which college you’re going to attend before applying for most scholarships. However, once you’re awarded scholarships, some of them may ask for eligibility verification—which can include proof of college enrollment.
Is there a limit on how many scholarships you can apply for?
Absolutely not, so apply for as many as you can to increase your chances of winning free money. Want to find more types of scholarships? There are so many, check them out!
Pro tip: Apply for scholarships each year you’re in college.
Does every scholarship application require an essay?
Not every scholarship will ask you to submit an essay—different scholarships have different requirements. If you’re applying for a scholarship with an essay and need help writing yours, get tips for writing scholarship essays.
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