Minority scholarships apply to any of the major or minor minority groups in the United States. This includes African Americans, Native Americans, Asians, Hispanics, women, gays, the disabled, those of mixed race and much more. Because educational opportunities have traditionally been limited to those of majority groups, these scholarships aim to encourage minority students to attend college and give them the funds to do so removing the financial obstacles that discourage many students from attending.

There are scholarships out there for students that are part of almost any minority group whether based on race, gender, sexual orientation or even handedness. Each of these scholarships will have its own requirements aside from students being part of the minority group represented to be applicable. Many will require that students submit writing and their GPA, others will rely more heavily on financial need and some will take both into account. While the scholarships are limited to minority groups that doesn’t mean students shouldn’t expect competition as many minority groups are quite large.

Students can find funding through any number of organizations. Most universities offer some sort of minority scholarships and there are several government funded programs as well. The vast majority of scholarships for minorities, however, are funded through generous donations from private organizations and personal foundations. These include groups like the American Geological Institute, the American Society for Microbiology, and the Council for Exceptional Children.

It is also common for many of these scholarships to be major specific, and students entering a particular field will often be able to find a scholarship directed at their personal interests. Women of minorities will perhaps have the largest number of scholarships available to them, though there are a wide range of awards, some of which are quite generous, to students from a diverse range of backgrounds.

Minority Scholarships

• American Geological Institute Minority Participation Scholarship: Varied awards go to 25-30 minority students interested in the geosciences.
• ASM Minority Undergraduate Research Fellowship: Up to $5,000 to 5-8 minority undergraduate students working towards degrees in the field of microbiology.
• Council for Exceptional Children: Up to $500 awarded each year to 5-10 minority freshmen who have disabilities.
• National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs: $1,000 to $2,000 awarded each to 4-6 African American undergraduate students.
• HBCU-Central.Com Minority Scholarship Program: $1,000 awarded each year to 3-10 minority undergraduate students.