Free Scholarships for Native Americans

Native Americans who would like to go to college, but find the cost of tuition to be too costly, are not alone. The rising cost of tuition around the nation has many people looking for alternative ways to pay for college. A small percentage of the people can afford to pay for their tuition bill with cash out of their own pocket, or from family members. But others are turning to student loans and scholarships in order to fund their way through higher education.

Student loans are one option for Native Americans who want help paying for college tuition, but they will leave you with debt once you graduate or stop attending. Perhaps a better route for those in need is to apply for scholarships, or grants, that will help them pay for their tuition bills. The great thing about scholarships is that they do not have to be paid back. They are essentially free money that is given to people to help them pay their tuition bills. There are plenty of free scholarship opportunities for Native Americans who want help paying for college.

Here are some free scholarships for Native Americans:

• The National Action for Minorities in Engineering offers free scholarships for Native Americans who are going into the engineering field. They have already given scholarships to over 24,000 minority students who are studying in the areas of science, engineering, technology, and math. Eligibility requirements include maintaining a minimum GPA of 2.5-2.8, pursuing a degree in engineering, and attending one of their preferred universities. You can apply for the scholarship online.
• McDonald’s. The McDonald’s company offers a free scholarship called the HACER National Scholarship. This is open to Native Americans who have at least one parent of Hispanic decent. They give away 30 scholarships per year, with the amounts ranging from $5,000-$100,000. Eligibility includes being a high school senior, a legal resident, a minimum GPA of 3.0, and that you will be attending an accredited institution. You can apply for the free scholarship online.
• Center for American Indian Health. The John Hopkins Center for American Indian Health offers free scholarships to Native Americans who will be attending the John Hopkins Center for American Indian Health. Native Americans who wish to go into health fields may qualify for the scholarships, which are awarded for both winter and summer semesters each year. Those who would like to learn more or apply for the free scholarships should contact the program liaison.
• Cobell Scholarship. Offered through Indigenous Education, Inc., the Cobell Scholarship is awarded to those who are seeking fellowship scholarships. You can apply for the free scholarship online.
• Indian Health Services. There is a scholarship program offered through Indian Health Services. The program is to help Native Americans who want to go into health-related fields. They offer three types of scholarships that people can apply for. The Preparatory Scholarship is for those taking undergraduate or preparatory courses in preparation to entering a health professions school. The Pre-Graduate Scholarship is for those working toward earning a bachelor’s degree in pre-medicine, pre-dentistry, pre-podiatry, or another closely related approved health field. The Health Professions Scholarship is for those who are enrolled in a health professions degree program. Each of these free scholarship opportunities requires that the applicant be members or descendants of federally recognized Tribes or villages. You can apply for these free scholarships online.
• Udall Foundation. The Udall Foundation awards free scholarships to college sophomores and juniors. The program is for Native American students who are entering the fields of public service, public policy, and leadership. Those who want to help better Native American conditions or the environment may qualify for the free scholarships. The scholarship is also open to Native Americans who will be going into health-related fields. You can apply for the scholarship online.

There are many free scholarship opportunities available for Native Americans to explore. Depending on the field you want a career in, you may even find more opportunities being offered by corporate leaders within that field. There are additional places you can contact to inquire about free scholarships. These include your college’s financial aid office, your local Tribal Office, and your employer, if you work at a place like a hospital, law firm, bank, etc. Many companies offer scholarships to help students enter their field