Native American College Scholarships
A multitude of scholarships exist for Native Americans pursuing a college degree. Financial aid offices at all universities, colleges and schools have access to these scholarships but there a few requirements in order to receive them. In addition, tribal leaders also have a variety of resources at their disposal for finding these scholarships and they are the best starting point. In order to be eligible the individual applying to the scholarship or grant must provide documentation that they are in fact of Native American heritage and this is accomplished through a Certificate of Indian Blood, or CIB, and be part of a federally recognized tribe.
Native American Scholarship Resources:
- College scholarships for Native Americans and the steps needed to obtain them.
- Financial aid and scholarship information for Native Americans.
- The American Indian College Fund offers a wealth of possibilities and opportunities to Native American students seeking higher education.
- A list of scholarship programs available to Native American Students.
- A site covering the various areas of Native American scholarship money according to the educational program being studied.
Each tribe has their own requirements for the amount of blood that will be accepted as a member of the tribe. Some require a percentage such as 25% while others need the individual to only be descended from a Native American. This is used for enrollment in the tribe and may or may not disqualify an individual from receiving the scholarship. This will not mean a CIB is not attainable for the individual from the Bureau of Indian Affairs whom issued the CIB. The American Indian College Fund supplies many resources to individuals of Native American descent in finding scholarships including applications, different programs for tribal colleges and mainstream colleges, as well as resources for instructors and counselors in helping students obtain these scholarships.
Resources for Registering for Scholarships
- Rights of Native Americans as it applies to scholarship funds according to the Native American Law Library.
- Special considerations for Native American scholarships and the available scholarships.
- A large resource/database of Native American scholarships and their requirements.
- A site dedicated to the youth of Native American tribes and resources on scholarships available to them.
There are 561 recognized tribes in the United States; that is tribes recognized by the US government. It should be noted that the Federal Government is not the only source of scholarships and money for Native American college students; many state governments have programs set up for those students living in their state. In addition there are federally funded tribal schools that have a wealth of resources available to the Native American students that attend their educational institutions. Particular organizations, like the American Indian Science and Engineering Society provides private donations in the form of scholarships and funds to those Native American students seeking a career in science and engineering.
