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Senior Associate, JPMorgan Chase
If you’ve dreamed of attending college and are trying to figure out how to pay for your education, consider scholarships to help make your vision a reality. There’s no limit to the number of scholarships that you can apply for, and under most circumstances, this is money for college and graduate school that you won’t need to pay back.
While some people might operate under the assumption that you need to have a perfect grade point average (GPA) or be a star athlete to qualify for college and graduate school scholarships, there is a vast range of scholarships available for all kinds of applicants, all with different eligibility requirements.
In this article, we’ll share a variety of scholarships available for Black women that have eligibility requirements that range from financial need to particular career aspirations. Keep reading to learn more.
There’s a gamut of college and graduate school scholarships available to Black women, from school-provided scholarships to those offered by corporations, nonprofits, and other organizations. You can discover many of these opportunities through an online search, your guidance counselor, or even via word of mouth.
If you’re interested in applying for scholarships, you can get ahead of the process by researching scholarships and their eligibility requirements in advance and keeping track of the myriad of deadlines. Beyond applying to individual scholarships, you should consider filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), which some scholarships utilize to award student’s funds.
According to a 2022 report by the nonprofit Education Trust (PDF), a year after completing their bachelor’s degree, Black women have an average of $38,800 in student loans, more than any other group analyzed in the report.
If we zoom out to all the federal student loans owed to the U.S. government, the same paper reports that women generally owe two-thirds of the student debt pie (PDF).
While these statistics don’t reflect every Black woman’s story and won’t necessarily be yours, they do show how scholarships and grants for Black women may be helpful when it comes to paying for college and graduate school. Scholarships have the potential to reduce your higher education expenses and may help limit your student debt burden as you pursue higher education.
There are a range of scholarships available to Black women. Here’s a small sampling of options to consider applying for, but many more are available.
Development Fund for Black Students in Science and Technology
The Development Fund for Black Students in Science and Technology, a nonprofit formed in 1983 by Black professionals in STEM across the country, gives away nearly $30,000 annually through their endowment fund to students.
Take note, students who apply must be enrolled or have the intention to enroll in one of the approved 20 schools listed on the organization’s website. These schools range from Howard University to Spelman College.
Dashanna K. McNeil Memorial Scholarship
The Dashanna K. McNeil Foundation, which honors nurse Dashanna K. McNeil, awards three recipients various cash prizes annually as they pursue an associate, bachelor’s, or master’s in nursing or a related field. All applicants must complete an essay question based on their education level.
Graduate Fellowships for STEM Diversity
Graduate Fellows for STEM Diversity is an organization that assists scientists and engineers in pursuing a graduate-level education by providing fellowships and mentoring opportunities. According to the organization’s website, nearly 33% of their fellows are from underrepresented groups, and 61% of their fellows are female.
Ford Motor Company Fund & NACME Scholarships 2024
The National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, in conjunction with the Ford Motor Company, offers scholarships for minority students pursuing STEM-related careers in support of electric vehicles and advanced manufacturing industries.
The Consortium
The Consortium is a group of business schools with a shared mission to improve the representation of minority students in business schools, including Black women. Students can apply using The Consortium’s application to a range of business schools, and through this process, The Consortium award hundreds of merit-based full-tuition fellowships.
Some requirements include having a four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, believing in The Consortium’s mission of improving the representation of minorities in management, and being a U.S. citizen or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipient.
Selected Professions Fellowship
The American Association of University Women (AAUW) promotes the education of women and girls. Its Selected Professions Fellowship offers awards specifically to women of color who are pursuing an MBA, law degree, or medical degree.
The Herbert Lehman Education Fund Scholarship
The Herbert Lehman Education Fund Scholarship provides awards to undergraduate and law school students with financial need who plan on attending an accredited three-year law school full-time and have a solid academic record. The Legal Defense Fund sponsors the award, which promotes racial justice for Black Americans. Students must also demonstrate financial need. The award honors Herbert Lehman, a former governor and U.S. senator from New York who played a role in the civil rights movement.
The Earl Warren Scholarship
The Legal Defense Fund also sponsors the Earl Warren Sponsorship. This award is in memoriam of the Honorable Earl Warren, the 14th United States Chief Justice, who helped end school segregation in the U.S. The scholarship welcomes rising law students who share a commitment to racial justice and have potential for training as civil rights and public interest attorneys.
The Laurel House Social Work Racial Equity Scholarship
The Laurel House is an organization that helps promote access to mental health care for people of color. Its Social Work Racial Equity Scholarship provides scholarships to students pursuing a graduate degree in social work. Students must be Connecticut residents, Black or Latino, and enrolled in a Master of Social Work program in Connecticut or New York. The candidate must also demonstrate they need financial aid and secure a letter of recommendation.
Young Black Women Scholars Program
The Young Black Women Scholars Program provides priority consideration to women, including Black women, who are interested in completing their college degree. This can include women who’ve left college and are returning to complete their degree or those who are attending college for the first time.
If you’re a Black woman who isn’t necessarily studying STEM, law, or business, there are still organizations that want to aid in your higher education journey. Here’s a list of other scholarships to consider applying for should you meet the eligibility requirements:
Since filling out a scholarship application doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily receive the scholarship funds, you may want to consider applying for several scholarships each year. There are other routes to seek help to pay for college or graduate school, too.
If you’re currently employed, find out if your company has any tuition assistance programs. If you need financial help beyond scholarship funds, consider sitting down with your school’s financial aid office to seek expert guidance on how to navigate paying for college or graduate school.
For Informational/Educational Purposes Only: The opinions expressed in this article may differ from other employees and departments of JPMorgan Chase & Co. Opinions and strategies described may not be appropriate for everyone, and are not intended as specific advice/recommendations for any individual. Chase is not responsible for, and does not provide or endorse third party products, services or other content. You should carefully consider your needs and objectives before making any decisions, and consult the appropriate professional(s). Outlooks and past performance do not guarantee future results.
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