The 12 Best College Scholarships for Black Students

There are many scholarships for Black students that can help pay for college and reduce your need for student loans. Here are some of the top scholarships you can apply for in 2024:

1.  American Chemical Society (ACS) Scholars Program: This scholarship awards up to $5,000 annually to undergraduate students from historically underrepresented groups majoring in chemical sciences or related fields.
2. Black at Microsoft Scholarship: This scholarship offers up to $20,000 over four years to Black high school seniors who plan to pursue a degree in engineering, computer science, computer information systems, or a related field. The deadline is March 13, 2024.
3. Enterprise Holdings ROAD Forward Scholarship: Black high school students who are the first in their families to go to college. To qualify, students must plan to attend a United Negro College Fund member institution. The deadline is usually March or April.
4. Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Scholarship Program: This scholarship grants $10,000 to one male and one female Black rising senior college student enrolled in an HBCU who exemplifies the legacy of Frederick Douglass through academic achievement, leadership, and social justice activism. The deadline is February 28, 2024.
5. Generation Google Scholarship: This scholarship provides $10,000 to Black students pursuing a degree in computer science, computer engineering, or a related field. 
6. Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship: This scholarship provides up to $35,000 over four years to Black high school seniors who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership potential, and financial need. The deadline has passed and will be open again in January 2025.

1. KnowBe4 Scholarship for Black Americans in Cybersecurity: This scholarship awards $10,000 to Black students pursuing a degree in cybersecurity or a related field. The deadline is April 17, 2024
2. National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club (NANBPWC) National Scholarship:Given to graduating seniors, the NANBPWC National Scholarship varies in amount from year to year. To qualify, students must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and submit an essay on that year’s prompt. The deadline is in spring 2024. 
3. Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) Foundation:  PG&E is offering Better Together STEM Scholarships of up to $10,000 for Black students pursuing science, technology, or engineering studies at universities in California. Students must be California residents and PG&E customers at the time of application. The deadline is March 15, 2024. 
4. Ron Brown Scholar Program: This scholarship awards $40,000 over four years to Black high school seniors who excel academically, exhibit exceptional leadership potential and make an impact on their communities. The deadline is December 1, 2024.

• Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) Scholarships: TMCF offers various scholarships to Black students who attend one of its 47 member schools, which are public historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and predominantly Black institutions (PBIs). The deadlines vary depending on the scholarship.

• UNCF STEM Scholars Program: UNCF STEM Scholars provides tiered scholarships of up to $25,000 over four years to Black high school seniors interested in pursuing a STEM major and career. The deadline is March 3, 2024.

These are just some of the many scholarships for Black students that you can find online. You can also use websites like Scholarship Institute, Going Merry and College Consensus to search for more opportunities based on your eligibility, interests, and goals. Good luck with your scholarship applications! 

Brought to you by the nonprofit organization Well-Suited, a college and career planning program to assist students in transitioning from high school to post-graduate life. www.wsccp.org