Scholarships for Black Students in the USA: Getting a degree in the United States can be costly for Black students. Statistics have shown that black students owe more and are more likely to take out student loans than white students.
Many scholarship programs exist to help students. We have created a list of 10 fully-funded scholarships for Black and African students.
Fully Funded Scholarships in The United States For Black Students
1. American Association of Blacks in Energy Scholarship For Black Students
The American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE) is an association made up of African Americans. The organization offers scholarship awards to undergraduates pursuing careers in the energy industry.
The award is aimed at supporting African-Americans by awarding scholarships to students who meet the minimum GPA of 3.0. In addition to this, applicants must be a graduating high school senior with intentions of majoring in Sciences, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM).
Host: American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE)
Location: USA
Degree Scholarships: Undergraduates
Scholarship Award: $3,000–$5,000
Eligible Candidates: Anyone can apply, but Black applicants are mostly recognised.
2. Program for Scholarships of the United States Africa Development Foundation Scholarship Program
The USADF Scholarship Program aims to offer talented African students the chance to obtain a high-quality education and grow into leaders in their home countries. The scholarship covers the full cost of tuition, living expenses, and any other related costs.
Host: USADF
Location: USA
Degree Scholarships: Undergraduates | Postgraduates
Benefits: Funded tuition | Annual stipends | Various higher degrees
Eligible Candidates: African citizens
Official Website: USADF
3. Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program
This program is managed by the World Bank, but supported by the Government of Japan. The JJ/WBGSP is open to certain developing countries with relevant professional experience.
Eligible candidates can receive a fully funded scholarship covering all tuition costs, and providing health insurance, travel allowance of $600 for each trip and a monthly allowance of $1,000 to $1,500.
Host: J/WBGSP
Location: USA
Degree Scholarships: Master’s Degree
Benefits: Funded tuition | Monthly stipends
Eligible Candidates: Black students can apply
Official Website: JJ/WBGSP
4. ACS Scholars Program
The ACS Scholars Program is a scholarship program offered by the American Chemical Society to support undergraduates, including black students. The program provides scholarships for students from minority groups who aspire to pursue a career in Chemistry.
Host: American Chemical Society
Location: USA
Degree Scholarships: Undergraduates
Benefits: Funded tuition
Annual Stipends: $5,000
Eligible Candidates: Application is open for black students
Official Website: American Chemical Society
5. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program For Black Students
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is designed to educate talented young people to pursue higher education. The Foundation partners with various universities in the United States to provide scholarships for black students hailing from Africa and developing regions.
Host: Mastercard Foundation
Location: USA
Degree Scholarships: Undergraduates | Postgraduates
Benefits: Funded tuition | Monthly stipends | Various degrees and disciplines
Eligible Candidates: Open to all African countries
Official Website: Mastercard Foundation
6. Carnegie Mellon University Bridge Program for African Students
The Bridge program aimed to support black students in their final undergraduate year. Carnegie Mellon University offers a free 6-week training to prepare candidates for their Master’s degree, in areas such as electrical engineering, computer engineering, information technology, telecommunications, networking, big data, artificial intelligence, or software engineering.
Host: Carnegie Mellon University Africa
Location: USA
Degree Scholarships: Undergraduates
Benefits: Technical training | Fully funded | Professional networking
Scholarship Reward: Six-week intensive graduate study
Eligible Candidates: African students
Official Website: Carnegie Mellon University Africa
7. Fulbright South African Research Scholar Program (SARSP) for South Africans
The SARSP provides an opportunity for researchers in South Africa to engage in research within their expertise at a U.S. research institute. The program is designed for South African citizens or permanent residents who hold a doctorate or equivalent degree in their fields.
Host: The U.S. Embassy in South Africa
Location: USA
Degree Scholarships: Doctoral degree
Benefits: Fully funded | Monthly stipends | Relocation expenses | Accommodation | Healthcare
Eligible Candidates: South African Research Scholars (PhD holders)
Scholarship Status: U.S. Embassy & Consulates In South Africa
8. Black at Microsoft (BAM) Scholarship for Black Students
The Black at Microsoft (BAM) Scholarship program was created to enable Black and African American students to pursue careers in technology. The aim is to support the continued growth of black employees in tech industries.
The program offers 55 scholarships with a total value of $150,000. The top 5 scholarship awards are valued at $5,000 for each candidate and can be renewed for up to three years. The other 50 awards are valued at $2,500 each and are one-time only.
Host: Microsoft
Location: USA
Degree Scholarships: High school graduates
Benefits: Funded tuition
Scholarship award: BAM will award 55 scholarships for black students, totalling $150,000.00 (USD)
Eligible Candidates: Black and African American high school students
Official Website: Microsoft
9. The Zawadi Africa Education Fund Scholarships for Black Students
The Zawadi Africa Education Fund is an initiative established in 2002 by Dr. Susan Mboya. The program is designed to offer undergraduate scholarships to talented African girls from poor financial backgrounds.
The scholarships are for students who wish to pursue an undergraduate degree in the U.S.A., Uganda, Ghana, South Africa, and Kenya.
Host: Zawadi Africa
Location: USA, Uganda, Ghana, South Africa, and Kenya
Degree Scholarships: Undergraduates
Benefits: Fully funded | Living allowance
Eligible Candidates: Female high school graduates in Africa
Official Website: Zawadi Africa
10. Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) Scholarships
The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) champions diversity and inclusivity. The scholarships are awarded without consideration of race, color, creed, religion, sex, disability or national origin
Host: Thurgood Marshall College
Location: USA
Scholarships: College Education
Benefits: Tuition | fees and on-campus housing
Official Website: TCMF Scholarship
- You can also check out the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) Scholarships. The UNCF is the nation’s largest private scholarship provider for minority students, awarding more than $100 million in scholarships annually. These scholarships support students attending over 1,100 schools nationwide, including UNCF’s prestigious network of 37 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Visit our scholarship page to explore various scholarship opportunities that align with your interests.