Grants and Scholarships for Adult Native Americans Going Back to College

Native Americans who are considering going back to college will find that there are good reasons to do so, and financial assistance to help them out. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average weekly wage for someone with only a high school diploma is around $712, compared to $1,173 weekly for someone with a bachelor’s degree. Plus, the BLS also reports that the higher education attainment someone has the lower unemployment rate they have. Not only will Native Americans earn more money each year by going back to college, but they will also have a lower risk of becoming unemployed.

While there are real benefits for going back to college, or getting started in the first place, the thought of paying for it can be daunting. College tuition can be expensive and may make many people not want to go to college to begin with. Don’t let the cost of college hold you back from attending. There are grants and scholarships for adult Native Americans going back to college. By taking advantage of those you qualify for, you will help to keep the costs of getting a degree down, while the benefits remain high.

Here are some grant and scholarships for adult Native Americans going back to college:

• National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME). Native Americans who are interested in earning an engineering degree may qualify for a scholarship through NACME. They have been providing scholarships for Native Americans entering the engineering field since 1974.
• SallieMae. The student loan company SallieMae offers scholarships and grants to Native Americans, to try and fill the gap, because they recognize that they are underrepresented on college campuses. The scholarships are offered through them, and are provided by a variety of private sources and organizations. They also provide information on how to write a scholarship essay.
• Federal Student Aid. The federal government offers grants to help adult Native Americans go back to college. The grants are based on your income level. If you are low income, you may be able to qualify for a grant to pay for your entire education. Grants they award include Federal Pell Grants, which are given to those who have a financial need. They are not loans, so they do not have to be repaid.
• Bureau of Indian Education. They provide information on a wide variety of grants and scholarships that are available for Native Americans who want to attend college. Their listing of grants and scholarships offers the amount of the award, requirements, and deadline for applying.
• Tribal Offices. Many Tribal Offices have information regarding college grant and scholarship opportunities that are available to Native Americans. Contact your local Tribal Office to see what information they can provide. In addition to national scholarships and grants, they know of locally based ones that are offered through community organizations and private parties.
• Your local college. Native Americans who have a college in mind that they would like to attend should contact the financial aid office to speak to them about grants and scholarships. The financial aid office will be able to provide you with information regarding national and local scholarships that you may be qualified for. Their employees will want to help you find grant opportunities you may qualify for and they provide their services for free.

Some people may feel that the cost of going to college is too high. Yet when you compare the long term financial gain of having a degree over the course of your career you will see that the cost of not going is far too high. Those who choose to not go back will most likely end up making quite a bit less over the course of their career. Even accounting for the cost of college tuition, you will still come out financially ahead when you earn a degree. Plus, if you can get grants and scholarships to help cover some of the costs you will be doing even better.

There are grants and scholarships available for adult Native Americans who want to go back to college. Apply for them and see if they can help you reach your college goals and become more financially independent.