Top scholarships for African American students

The Continuing Student Scholarship is a newly established scholarship and is designed to provide financial support to African American students pursuing Bachelor's degrees. Two letters of recommendation from a faculty member/academic advisor or professional organization that speaks to the applicant's leadership experience, and an organization or individual that can attest to civic engagement must be submitted. Neither letter shall be from a relative or family member of the applicant. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.

The NANBPWC National Scholarship will be awarded to an African American graduating high school senior. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.

PlaceWorks has established a scholarship program to assist current undergraduate and graduate students in California who are pursuing a degree in Planning, Urban Design and/or Architecture, Environmental Planning, or Landscape Architecture. Applicants must be a member of one or more historically underrepresented groups, including but not limited to, American Indian or Alaska Native, Arab or Middle Eastern, Asian, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, veterans, disabled individuals, or first-generation college students. PlaceWorks employees and their children are not eligible. Awards are not renewable, but students may reapply to the program each year they meet eligibility requirements. One online recommendation form must be submitted on the student's behalf no later than May 1, 2025. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.

The Mary Murphy Scholarship was established by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Century City Alumnae Chapter in 1985. This scholarship is designed to provide financial support to women pursuing graduate and professional degrees, especially in the fields where African American women are underrepresented. Applicants must submit two letters of recommendation from a faculty member or academic advisor or professional organization that speaks to the applicant's leadership experience, and an organization or individual that can attest to the applicant's civic engagement. Neither letter shall be from a relative or family member of the applicant. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.

The NAACP Vancouver Branch ACT-SO Scholarship is available to participants of the NAACP Vancouver Branch ACT-SO program. In 2021, the NAACP-Vancouver Branch established their ACT-SO Program in Vancouver, WA. The NAACP's 'Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) is a year-long student personal and professional development, and achievement program designed to recruit, stimulate, and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African American high school students. The ACT-SO Program includes 33 competitions in areas such as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math), Humanities, Business, and Performing, Visual and Culinary Arts, Aviation, Medical fields. Students can compete in up to three different categories of the 33 areas to choose from. Participants work with community-based volunteers for one year to develop projects and presentations. The experience culminates in local and national events where students compete for awards, and national gold medal winners are eligible for scholarships. Applicants for the scholarship must have participated in the NAACP Vancouver Branch ACT-SO program. They must be high school students who will continue their education at an accredited college, university, Historically Black Colleges, technical or career school during the upcoming school year. Preference will be given to ACT-SO Medalists; first-generation students; and/or students with demonstrated financial need. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington for more information.

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Committee will award the Bishop Henry L. Barnwell Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship to students attending an accredited higher learning institution in financial need. Eligible students must show how they promoted the principles of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through their participation in school, community, and/or faith-based events within the last year. Applicants must demonstrate African-American or African heritage. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Arizona Community Foundation for more information.

Sacramento County covers 984 square miles and is home to the California state capital, 1.5 million residents and seven cities. Since its founding in 1850, Sacramento County has been at the forefront of service delivery, continually evolving to meet the needs of its residents with integrity and innovation. Home to the capital of California, Sacramento County is California's prime agricultural region.

The Ken Inouye Memorial Scholarship is awarded to a college journalist of color and is aimed at increasing ethnic diversity in newsrooms. Ken Inouye was a 22-year-old cameraman for the International News Service, covering the Korean War, when he was killed aboard an Army aircraft. Students from Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties who have completed at least their freshman year of college, as well as graduate students from those same counties, are eligible to apply for all scholarships. Students enrolled in college in another state who have graduated high school in Los Angeles, Orange or Ventura counties may also apply. Applicants must submit proof of enrollment or acceptance in a journalism program at a two-year or four-year college or university. Students completing pre-journalism programs must provide proof they have been admitted to a journalism program. Students must have completed at least their freshman year in college and have at least one semester to complete in a journalism program after the award of the scholarship. Graduate students in journalism programs are eligible. Applicants must submit a resume that should contain a record of their school and/or professional journalism experience. This should also include journalism honors and awards, and scholarships or achievements in any field. Applicants must also submit their work samples with their application online via email, scanning, attaching and/or providing links to their work samples in acceptable formats. For Text submissions, at least three samples of the applicant's best published work must be provided. For broadcast, multimedia and photo submissions, five samples of published work are required. Applicants are also required to provide a letter of recommendation from one of their journalism professors or instructors. The instructor can email a letter directly to SPJLA. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.

LPA, Inc. has established the LPA Diversity in Design Scholarship to champion the design professions among students from underrepresented demographics. We believe diversity and inclusion are essential to innovation, belonging, and representation. To that end, we aim to foster a culture where students feel that anything is possible regardless of their starting point. Applicants must be high school seniors in states California and Texas. They must have been accepted in an undergraduate study at an accredited NAAB, LAAB, ABET, CIDA, NASAD, four or five-year college or university for the entire upcoming academic year. Applicants must be pursuing a degree in one of the following majors associated with the building and design industry: Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Interior Architecture/Design, Architectural Engineering, Structural Engineering, Building Science, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or related degree. They must also be a student who has overcome significant challenges in their academic pursuit and/or belong to a group historically underrecognized or marginalized within the building and design industry. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Awards are renewable for up to three years or until a bachelor's degree or for four years or until a Bachelor of Architecture (BARCH) degree is earned, whichever occurs first. Awards may be renewed for the fourth year for a bona fide five-year undergraduate program upon sponsor review. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.