Scholarship Guide for Native American Students

Table Of Contents

National Native Scholarships
Regional Native Scholarships
Native Fellowships
Native Grants
Native Internships
Professional Organizations
Tribal Colleges and Universities
Native American Related Podcasts

Education is an integral part of self-sufficiency, both individual and relational well being, and overall quality of life. Higher education for Native Americans is also a critical part of addressing long-term challenges for reservations. Poverty is a concern that keeps some Native Americans from even trying to pursue graduate or postgraduate degrees.

The National Congress of American Indians recently highlighted a statistic that states: The percentage of American Indian and Alaska Natives living in poverty in 2017 was estimated to be 26.8%. This compares to 14.6% for the nation as a whole.
According to the American Indian Education Fund (AIEF), up to 70 percent of Native American students drop out of high school and only 13 percent of Native American students earn college degrees.
Partnership With Native Americans (PWNA) shares a striking statistic declaring that only 17% of Native American Students start college and only 13% finish college.

Higher education support for Native Americans is available. PWNA offers higher education services to help native students pursue college degrees and support retention during college. AIEF is a program created by PWNA that offers scholarships, literacy programs, and school supplies. These are just two of the many national and local organizations that offer scholarships, grants and helpful resources to native students who would like to pursue further education. The United States government also provides helpful resources and financial aid opportunities for native students. Our Native American Scholarship and College Resource Guide highlights U.S. scholarships, fellowships, grants, internships, professional organizations, and tribal college and university information for native students.

Some scholarships listed below require a free application submission for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

National Native Scholarships

AAAE Native American Scholarship
- Enrolled in aviation program at an accredited two- or four-year college/university in the United States or Canada
- Amount: Up to two (2) awards valued at $1,000 and are non-renewable
ACS Scholars Program
- Majoring in chemistry, biochemistry, chemical engineering, chemical technology, or another chemistry-related science
- Amount: up to $5,000 per academic year
AIANTA Tourism and Hospitality Scholarship
- Financial assistance towards a degree or certificate in hospitality, tourism, recreation, culinary arts or related fields
- Amount: $500 per semester
AICPA Scholarship Award for Minority Accounting Students
- Pursuing an undergraduate or graduate-level degree in an accounting or accounting-related major
- Amount: $3,000 – $5,000
American Indian College Fund Scholarships
- The total scholarship amount will depend on the program you are interested in
American Indian Education Fund Graduate Scholarship
- Amount: $1,000 to $2,000 per scholarship depending on number of hours enrolled
American Indian Education Fund Undergraduate Scholarship
- Amount: Up to $2,000 per year is paid directly to each recipient’s college or university
American Indian Graduate Center Scholarships
- Offers more than 20 scholarships and fellowships
American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) Scholarships
- Offers a wide range scholarship opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, etc.
American Indian Services (AIS) Scholarship
- Awards are based on up to one-half of tuition and need for the term the student is applying for
American Institute of CPAs Scholarships
- Offers many scholarship opportunities for accounting students at varying points in their academic careers
- Amount: Up to $12,000/year
American Meteorological Society Minority Scholarships
- Students must plan to pursue careers in the atmospheric or related oceanic and hydrologic sciences
- The $6,000 two-year scholarship is for $3000 per year during freshman and sophomore years
Association on American Indian Affairs Scholarships
- The Association provides its scholarships through a partnership with the American Indian College Fund
AT&T/George Washington University NAPLP Program
- Students from all tribes and from every part of the United States are welcome to apply
- Provides full academic scholarships to George Washington University
Blackfeet Community College Scholarships
- Various scholarships are offered at Blackfeet Community College through the American Indian College Fund
BlueBird Certified Public Accountants Scholarship for Native American Tribes
- Amount: $5000 for each academic year
Catching the Dream Native American Scholarships
- CTD has three separate scholarship programs, the MESBEC, NALE, and TBM program
- Amount: $500 to $5,000 per year, based on merit
Cheyenne and Arapaho Higher Education Scholarships
- Available to enrolled tribal members throughout the U.S
Cobell Scholarship
- Available to enrolled members of a US Federally-Recognized Tribes
- Amount: Up to $5000 for Undergraduates, $10,000 for Graduate and Professional students
Continental Society Daughters of Indian Wars Scholarships
- For those who plan to work with a tribe or nation in the field of Education or Social Service
- Awards two scholarships annually, $2,500, and $5,000
Daughters of the American Revolution Scholarships
- Available to students of any age, any tribe and in any state striving to get an education
- This is a one-time $4,000 award
Fort Lewis College Native American Tuition Waiver Scholarship
- Attend Fort Lewis College Tuition free
Indian Health Service (IHS) Scholarship Program
- Offers three scholarships in order to educate and train health professionals
- Provides financial aid covering tuition, required fees and other educational and living expenses
Intertribal Timber Council Truman D. Picard Scholarship
- Dedicated to the support of pursuing a higher education in Natural Resources
- Amount: Up to $2,500 (number of awards varies per year)
IOKDS Native American Scholarship Program
- Amount: $1000 for college tuition
Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health NativeVision Scholarship
- Amount: Two $5,000 scholarships/year
Maureen L. & Howard N. Blitman, P.E., Scholarship
- Awarded annually to a high school senior who has been accepted into an ABET-accredited engineering program
- Amount: Awarded in two disbursements of $2,500 each at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters
NACME Scholarships
- Must be applying to or part of an engineering or computer science program at a NACME Partner Institution
- Amount: Various scholarships of up to $5,000
Native American Women Scholarships
- List of various scholarships available to Native American women
Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA) Scholarships
- Enrolled in business, management, administration, accounting, engineering, environment, or information technology
- Amount: Up to $2,500 annually
NCAIED American Indian Business Scholarship
- Must be majoring in a business related field
- Must be enrolled in State or Federal Tribe
Nez Perce Trail Foundation Scholarships
- Amount: $500
Northwest Indian College Foundation Scholarships
- Annually renewed and endowed scholarships
NSCDA American Indian Nurse Scholarship
- For students with career goals in nursing, health care or health education
- Amount: $1,500 per semester
Society for American Archaeology Native American Scholarships
- Established to foster a sense of shared purpose and positive interaction between archaeologists and Native Americans
- Amount: Scholarships available up to $11,000/year
The Lagrant Foundation Scholarships
- Students must be majoring in the fields of advertising, marketing or public relations
- Amount: Up to $3,750
UAB Birmingham Underrepresented in Medicine Senior Scholarship Program
- Must attend US medical school
Udall Undergraduate Scholarship
- Awards scholarships for leadership, public service, and commitment to issues related to Native American nations
- Amount: Up to $7,000 each

Regional Native Scholarships

AANAPISI Scholarship
- Available annually to students attending APIA Scholars AANAPISI partner campuses
- Scholarship awards range from one-time $2,500 awards to multi-year $5,000 awards
American Indian Chamber of Commerce of California Scholarships
- 4-Year college or university, junior college, trade tech/vocational school in California
- Offers a $2,500 and up to four $1,500 scholarships
American Indian Society of Washington, DC Scholarships
- Preference will be given to Washington, DC area applicants who have been a member of AIS
Brown and Caldwell Navajo Nation Scholarship
- Must be an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation
- Amount: $1,000 for up to four (4) years of schooling (for a total of $4,000)
CANFIT Scholarship Program
- Available to students to study nutrition, physical education or culinary arts in the state of California
Chahta Foundation scholarships for Choctaw students
- Be a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
- Amount: Up to $40,000/year
Cherokee Nation Scholarships
- Offered to citizens of the Cherokee Nation
Chickasaw Nation Higher Education Scholarships
- Available to Chickasaw citizens
Comanche Nation Scholarship Program
- Available to Comanche tribal members
Education Northwest Steven R. Nelson Native Educator Scholarship
- Individuals need to reside and enrolled in master’s program in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, or Washington.
- Pursue a field of study in education policy, leadership, technical assistance, research, or a closely related field
- Amount: maximum of $5,000 each year, as many as five scholarships per year for each state
Hopi Tribe Grants & Scholarships Program
- Must be an enrolled member of The Hopi Tribe
MACT Health Board Scholarships
- Must be enrolled in a California College or University
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe Scholarships
- For members of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe
Minnesota Indian Scholarship
- Must be a Minnesota resident
- Amount: Up to $4,000/year for undergraduate, up to $6,000/year for graduate (Maximum funding of 10 years)
Minority Teacher Education Scholarship
- Must be a resident of the State of Florida
- Scholars are selected on the basis of qualities that would indicate their potential to become good teachers
- Amount: $4,000 annually
Navajo Generating Station Navajo Scholarship
- Applicants must be enrolled members of the Navajo Nation
- Priority will be given to the STEM and business majors.
Navajo Transitional Energy Company College Scholarship
- Resides/registered with a Navajo Nation chapter
- Majoring in a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) or industry related field of study
- Amount: $1,000 annually
New York State Aid to Native Americans
- For enrolled members of a New York State tribe
- Amount: Up to $2,000 annually
North Dakota Indian Scholarship
- Applicants must be North Dakota residents and enrolled members of federally recognized Indian tribe
- Amount: $2,000 annually
Northwest Indian Housing Association Youth Scholarship
- Applicants must be enrolled members of a dues-paying Voting Member of the NWIHA
- Amount: $1,000
Office of Navajo Nation Scholarship & Financial Assistance
- Resides/registered with a Navajo Nation chapter
- Amount: Various awards up to $5,000 per term
Pawnee Nation Higher Education Scholarships
- Must be a member of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma
Tebughna Foundation Scholarship
- A direct lineal descendant and/or tribal member of the Native Village of Tyonek
- Amount: Up to $4,000 for the academic year
The Osage Nation Higher Education Scholarships
- Available to Osage students pursuing post-secondary education
United Auburn Indian Community Scholarships
- Applicants should be in or from Placer, Nevada, Sierra, Sacramento and El Dorado Counties in California
- Amount: $1,000
University of Arizona Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy Scholarships
- Early applications for the JD, LLM, and SJD degrees are strongly encouraged
University of North Dakota American Indian Scholarship
- For students pursuing a STEM degree at UND/NDSU
- Amount: $2,500
USET Scholarship Fund
- Student is an enrolled member of one of the thirsty three USET Member Tribal Nations
Washington Indian Gaming Association Scholarship
- For enrolled members of the WIGA Tribes and Indian students in Washington State
- Amount: Up to $60,000
Washington State University (WSU) Scholarships for Native American Students
- Open to all Washington State University students
- One application allows you to be considered for over 700 scholarships
WGU Washington—Northwest Indian College Scholarship
- Designed for Washington Native American tribe members
- Amount: Up to $3,000
White Mountain Apache Tribe
- The intent that recipients, upon graduation, will return to the White Mountain Apache Tribe to apply their learning
WSAC American Indian Endowed Scholarship
- For students with close social and cultural ties to a Washington State American Indian community
Zuni Education and Career Development Center Tribal Scholarship