Pennsylvania News You Can Use
Students at Lincoln University celebrate commencement. (Lincoln University)
By Kalena Thomhave
College may not be cheap, but community organizations and foundations offer many scholarships to help support students as they continue their education after high school. We’ve put together a list of Pennsylvania scholarships specifically targeted to students of color. Application requirements may vary based on where you live and what you study, but you’ll likely find a scholarship for which you can apply. Plus, many of the scholarships offered through community foundations allow applicants to be considered for multiple scholarships!
What are you waiting for? Brush off your personal statement and start applying for funding!
The Philadelphia Foundation awards a number of scholarships from funds that the foundation manages. One scholarship it awards is targeted toward young African American men graduating from high schools in the Philadelphia area.
The Zeta Omicron Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. Leadership and Scholarship Fund awards one $2,000 scholarship and one $1,500 scholarship to two students who exhibit commitments to leadership, academics, and community service. The application requires submission of a transcript, a college acceptance letter, a financial aid award letter from your intended college, the estimated cost of attendance at your intended college, your FAFSA, an essay, two letters of recommendation, and a photo. Students apply for this scholarship via the Philadelphia Foundation’s common scholarship application, meaning that you can also be considered for the numerous other scholarships that the foundation awards.
The application window for the Philadelphia Foundation’s fall 2025 scholarships will open in the spring and, judging from prior years, will close in June.
The Urban League of Philadelphia continues its long tradition of supporting Black Americans and other marginalized groups through its Community Scholarship Program, which has awarded college scholarships to graduating seniors in the Philadelphia area for more than two decades. The Community Scholarship Program provides financial assistance as well as mentoring and financial literacy coaching. In 2024, the program awarded $155,000 in scholarships to 61 students.
Check the Urban League’s website to learn when its next Pennsylvania scholarship opportunities will be announced.
The Pennsylvania Black Conference on Higher Education, Inc., dedicated to furthering educational equity for Black Pennsylvanians and other marginalized groups in the commonwealth, will award seven $1,000 scholarships to underrepresented undergraduate sophomores, juniors, and seniors as well as graduate students in Pennsylvania. There are four scholarships available, one of which is awarded to three students, each representing a different region of the state—eastern, central, and western.
Application requirements vary based on the scholarship, but all include an essay about why you should receive the scholarship, your college transcript, and three letters of recommendation. Scholarships will be awarded during the May 30, 2025, scholarship luncheon at the Pennsylvania Black Conference on Higher Education Annual Conference at Arcadia University, and scholarship winners must be in attendance to receive their awards.
The James R. Roebuck Scholarship is a $1,500 scholarship made possible by the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus Foundation and named after James R. Roebuck, a former member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives who was committed to education. Pennsylvania residents of color who are graduating seniors or current undergraduate students are eligible to apply. Prospective applicants can fill out the application, which includes a short essay question, on the PLBC website. Applicants will also need to submit a resume, transcript, two letters of recommendation, and a photo. The application deadline for the fall 2025 award is April 5.
The Pittsburgh Foundation and the Community Foundation of Westmoreland County together manage the funds for roughly 375 scholarships for students. Applicants can complete one scholarship application to be considered for multiple scholarships. For fall 2025, the application deadline is April 1.
Students of color should apply to any and all scholarships for which they are eligible, but Black students may particularly be interested in the scholarship from the Oliver L. Johnson and William A. Lester Families Fund, which is targeted toward all students with financial need, though preference for awards will go to African American students or Black African students born in Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal-Gambia, Zaire, Kenya or Cameroon.
The Oliver L. Johnson and William A. Lester Families Fund awards a multi-year scholarship, providing $20,000 over four years. Applicants must be graduating high school seniors living in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Washington, or Westmoreland Counties. Applying for the scholarship will also allow students to be considered for 10 other multi-year scholarships, each with varying requirements.
The African American Volkswagen Employees’ Scholarship Fund is a single-year award for graduating seniors with financial need, with a preference for Black students. An application to the scholarship allows students to also be considered for the seven other scholarships under the Pittsburgh Foundation Community Programs, all of which have different eligibility requirements and vary on whether they are single-year awards or renewable over your college career.
The Kennametal Scholarship Fund was created to support students of color with financial need who are pursuing careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields. Applicants must be graduating seniors living in one of the nine counties of Southwestern Pennsylvania (Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Green, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties). Preference for the award will go to students from racial or ethnic minority backgrounds.
The award amount varies, but it can be renewed over your college career. You can apply through the Pittsburgh Foundation.
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.7 Pennsylvania scholarships for students of color7 Pennsylvania scholarships for students of color

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