20 Scholarships for Native American Students to Apply For in 2024

There are many scholarships available for Native American students. Scholarships are essential because they offer students financial support. If you are left-handed, the first to attend college in your family, an athlete, or a chess player, you could qualify for a scholarship. You’re now wondering what type of scholarship you can receive as a native American student. It’s the last week of high school, most of your friends are going to top colleges, and you’re finally deciding that you want to attend college. You plan to spend the next few months of summer applying for scholarships.

The Best Scholarships for Native American Students

Don’t Fret; you are not the only one dealing with this. There is still plenty of time for you to apply and submit scholarship applications before the deadline. Thankfully, tons of scholarships are available for those who want to pursue a college education. You must submit the applications for these scholarships by the deadline. Check out some of the scholarships available to you, and Congratulations on the next steps in your career.

What Are Scholarships for Native American Students?

If you are a courageous undergraduate with Native American heritage you can qualify for many unique Native American scholarships. Most scholarship winners are minority students who are ambitious and awarded based on the quality of their applications. You want to first do a search on the types of scholarships you would like to apply for.

About Scholarships for Native American Students

If you are a high school senior, or an undergraduate and graduate student, you want to look for scholarships that you are eligible for. Bold.org has a good range of scholarships that you can apply for.

Make sure to look out for the education level because many scholarships are available, and you want to apply to the ones that are right for you.

The American Indian College Fund also provides scholarships to American Indian and Alaska Native undergraduate and graduate students seeking higher education opportunities.  

Check out the American Indian College fund, if you are a student seeking undergraduate and graduate degrees at tribal colleges, nonprofit, and accredited schools. Read more about our 75-year-old scholarship program. 

How to Find Scholarships for Native American Students

Nowadays, it’s reasonably simple to apply for scholarships. Twenty years ago, students had to fill out scholarships that were long thick paper applications, and the students’ submissions were usually sent through your school or the mail. Now it is pretty easy to log online, search for the scholarship of your dreams, and apply to the scholarship of your choice. Finding a scholarship is relatively easy, and you can find some that don’t require much from you as far as qualifications are concerned.

What Qualifies Students for Native American Scholarships?

 When you are looking for scholarships specific to the major you are interested in, things can be competitive. Quite a few organizations and people giving out scholarships require students to have reached some academic achievement and to have at least a B average and experience in the major they are aspiring to enter. Top high school seniors get a recommendation letter from a community leader, teacher, or counselor. Doing this appeals to their application because the teacher is endorsing their skill sets. Getting a recommendation could give you the upper hand or the best chances of getting the scholarship of your dreams.

Tips on Winning Native American Scholarships

 For college scholarship opportunities, you may be required to write an essay expressing why you are a good candidate for this opportunity. Suppose you are a high school senior without much professional experience. In that case, you can write your essay about why you want to go into the career field you are interested in, what type of impact you would make with your degree, and how you will give back to the community.

Your answer must stand out from the others because this is how you can have more chances of winning scholarship opportunities. Ensure you include as many details as possible about why you want to further your education. Another thing to recognize when searching for scholarship opportunities is the academic achievement requirements. Most scholarships ask that you have at least a 3.0 GPA or higher. They may also require you to have done some extracurricular activities or community service.

The first step in getting as many scholarships as possible is good grades. You must have exemplary academic achievements to receive the best scholarships. They want to provide scholarships to serious students who care about their future careers. Having outstanding grades is a must and will help you beat your competition.

How To Qualify for Native American Scholarships

Native Americans are welcome at all colleges. If you feel unprepared for college a good way to get prepared is through college preparation courses. Pitzer College and Western University sponsor a program that supports Native American students’ transitions from high school through college. The courses they sponsor are excellent for high juniors as well. Matter of fact their programs are designed to help students from grades 9th through 12th. They motivate students to complete high school, strengthen their self-esteem and prepare them for college. If you are a full-time student, you can find other college preparatory courses for Native Americans here. 

An excellent way for minority students to get scholarships is to stay on good terms with their teachers. This can benefit high school students because your teachers may write you a letter of recommendation, which adds the perfect touch to an application. Your teacher may also recommend you to their colleagues for voluntary or work experience.

Frequently Asked Questions About Scholarships for Native American Students

How many scholarships can you get?

Good News! There is technically no limit to how many scholarships you can get. Some scholarships will be for specific majors, such as Business or Nursing Majors, but you can get as many scholarships as you need to cover your tuition and room and board. Remember, scholarships usually have many applicants, so meeting the expectations for the scholarships that interest you is vital.

 It may be wise to do some volunteering service to give your application a little more sparkle than the others. In 2020, 58% of families used scholarships to pay for college. There are around 1.7 million private scholarships; the most extensive federal scholarship is the Pell Grant, which provides financial aid to 7.5 million students.

Are scholarships taxable income?

Technically your scholarship may or may not be taxable. Usually, a scholarship or fellowship is tax-free if you are a degree candidate, and the award you receive pays for tuition and other required fees. These fees could include school books, supplies, and equipment. However, some scholarships are not exempt from taxes. Using your scholarship to pay for room and board or a stipend for living expenses is taxable.

Many restrictions ensure you don’t overuse your benefits and take advantage of Education Tax Benefits. IRS 970 discusses scholarships and deducting work-related educational expenses. This Tax benefit is called the American Opportunity Tax Credit and Lifetime Learning Tax Credit. You can usually use these credits on your taxes from freshman to senior year. Your financial aid application could be called for verification randomly, and you will be asked to submit IRS Form 4506-T, which is a Request for Transcript of Tax Return