This list is provided as a resource only. It is not intended as an endorsement of any of the agencies or practices by these agencies on behalf of the Martin Luther King Jr. Cultural Center, The Office for Multicultural and Academic Affairs or the University of Kentucky. For University of Kentucky Scholarships, please visit the University of Kentucky Financial Aid Office.
External Scholarships
1) Ron Brown Scholarship
The award: Leadership, community service, all fields. This is one of most prestigious scholarships and it is very, very competitive. The deadline is usually January. Details at
site.
2) Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship
The award: $6,000 per year. Number of winners is approximately 100. Scholarship is renewable. Academic merit, leadership, community service, all fields. Deadline is usually in April. Details at
site.
3) Project Excellence Scholarship
The award: $4,000 or higher (to full tuition). Number of winners is at least 600. Academic merit, leadership, community service, all fields. Deadline: Feb. 1. Details at
site.
4) United College Fund Scholarship
The UNCF is one of our major scholarship gateways. The awards are of varying amounts and there are a great many under different names and requirements (Grandmet, Duracell, for example).
The deadline is usually December. Details at
site.
5) Kodak Scholarship
The award is varying amounts up to $5,000. Number of awards varies. Available for those students studying film/cinematography in U.S. colleges. Details at
site.
6) Intel Science Talent Search
The award is from $5,000 to $100,000. There are approximately 40 awards in this prestigious competition. You must present a scientific research project. Deadline: December. Details at
site.
7) NACME Scholarship - (National Action Council For Minorities in Engineering)
The award amounts to $20,000 and many are awarded yearly. This is our major engineering scholarship gateway. You MUST be an engineering student. The deadline is usually in February. Go to the
website for details or contact financial aid officials at your university.
8) Gates Millennium Scholarship
The Gates Millennium Scholarship is to promote academic excellence and to provide an opportunity for thousands of outstanding students with significant financial need. The scholarship will cover room, board and tuition for at least 1,000 high school students a year. Deadline: March 15. Go to
website for details.
9) NSBE Scholarship - (National Society of Black Engineers)
Award amounts generally range from $1,500 to $3,000 for members of NSBE. Number of awards varies. This is primarily for engineering students and others majoring in related disciplines. Deadlines vary. Details at
website.
10) ARMY ROTC Scholarship - (for Historically Black Colleges)
Students looking to enroll at a HBCU must enroll in the Army ROTC. Award amount up to full-tuition. Many awards. Must have minimum 920 on SAT or 19 ACT score. Deadline is November 15. Details at
website.
11) American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Scholarship (AICPA)
For undergraduates studying accounting at a U.S. university with at least 30 credits completed. Awards up to $5,000 with about 300 winners annually. Deadline is in July. Go to
website for GPA requirements and details.
12) Developmental Fund for Black Students in Science and Technology Scholarship
Award amount is $2,000 and is renewable. Several scholarships granted. This is for science or engineering students at HBCUs. Deadline is June 15. Details at
site.
13) Coca-Cola Scholars Scholarship
This is a major scholarship competition with hundreds of awards going to "scholars" with academic, leadership, and talent qualities. The award amount is from $4,000 to $20,000. You can apply on-line. The deadline is October 31. Details at
site.
14) Ambassadorial Scholarship
This is the prestigious "rotary" organization scholarship for students who can speak another language and want to study abroad in the "host" country of that language. Award amounts are from $10,000 to $23,000 for a 3 month to full year of study abroad. You should have completed at least 2 years of college work. Details at
website.
15) Ronald McDonald House Charities and the United Negro College Fund.
Students must be studying at a HBCU which is a member of the UNCF. The award is from $1,000 to full tuition. Approximately 60 students are selected. The deadline is April 1. Go to
website for details.
16) Xerox Technology Minority Scholarship
Go to
Xerox and type in "Scholarship" in the search engine. This is a good scholarship for minority students studying in areas like chemistry, engineering, physics, and "tech" areas. The award amount is up to $4,000 for undergraduates and more for graduate students. The deadline is Sept. 15. Go to
website for details.
17) Alpha Kappa Alpha Scholarship
This
link is to the Chicago headquarters and that gateway of scholarships. Note that there are over 700 AKA Chapters and you would be wise to contact sources at local locations. Scholarship opportunities abound. The deadline at AKA headquarters is Feb. 15. Applications (at the website) must be sent between Dec. 1st and January 30th each year. *Editor's note: all of our Greeks (listed in our BlackExcel college guide) offer scholarships, and you should tap your local chapters.
18) NCAA Scholarship - (National Collegiate Athletic Association)
This is the major NCAA sports association that student-athletes are associated with. Awards are given in all sports categories, amounts from $3,000 to $12,500. Awards are also available for sports related study (like sports journalism). Deadlines vary, as do the number of awards each year. Details at
site.
19) National Alliance for Excellence Scholarship
The student competitors can be high school seniors or already in college. They must submit an application that can include recommendations (academics), art (slides), dance (tapes), photographs, or other materials that point to talent and achievement in all areas. The awards are for a minimum of one year, and over 100 are granted annually. Applications can be submitted at any time. The selection process is ongoing. Go to the
website.
20) Harry S. Truman Scholarship
This one of the most prestigious scholarships, shaped for students who intend to pursue a career targeted to public service or government. Graduate study should be a goal, with a portion of the funds directed there. You must be at least a college junior, and your university must nominate you. A "nomination" package must be created. The awards can reach as high as $30,000 over the years. Generally about 80 students are selected. The deadline is February 1st. Go to
website for details.
21) National Association of Hispanic Journalist
Awards from $1000 - $5000. Students interested in journalism as a career can apply. Deadline is Feb 28th. See
website for application and information.
22) National Association of Black Journalist
NABJ offers 10 scholarships. It's a $2,500 award. Students should be attending a four-year university. They must present three letters of recommendation from a school adviser, dean or a faculty member. Also, a 500-800 word article on a Black journalist must be presented. A grade point average of 3.0 is desirable. Eligible students must be majoring in journalism - print, photography, radio or television. One of those should be a career goal. Deadline is March 31. Go to
website for details.
23) Hispanic College Fund Scholarship
Major site for Hispanic students majoring in business-related areas, A to Z (accounting, human resources, communications, and more). The award amount varies. Over 140 awards granted. Deadline: April. Go to
website for details.
24) Arts Recognition And Talent Search Award
These awards are granted to high school or college students (17-18 years of age) who show talent in dance, voice, music, art, photography, jazz, visual arts, writing, or other creative areas. You must audition or submit a portfolio or tape. The award is to be used for freshman year in college. Award amounts from $100 to $3,000. Deadline is June 1 or April 1 (for registration in specific regions). Details at
site.
25) Society of Women Engineer Scholarship
These scholarships are targeted for women who are majoring in engineering or computer science. Award amounts are from $200 to $5,000, and at least 90 are granted. The deadline for students already in college is February 1st, but is May 15 for high school seniors entering an "accredited" program. Details at
site.
26) American Institute of Architects Minority Disadvantaged Scholarship
This is a scholarship for minority students enrolling in architecture programs. Awards are from $500 to $3,000. Generally 20 students are selected. Deadline is December 6. See
website for details.
27) FastWeb.com
Find money for college! Search 600,000 scholarships worth over $1 billion. Details at
site.
