11 Excellent Scholarships for Black Women

Finding the right college scholarship can be a transformative opportunity, especially for black women striving to achieve their academic and career goals. This list of college scholarships is specifically curated to support and empower black women, acknowledging the unique challenges they may face in higher education. By providing financial assistance and resources, these scholarships aim to foster diversity, equity, and excellence within academic communities.

1. Rosa A. Wilson Scholarship

Amount: $1,000

Provider: Counseling 360

When given the resources needed to succeed, African American women are capable of making great impacts in their fields, using resilience and lived experiences to act with empathy and creativity. Leveraging one’s skills and training is particularly impactful in helping professions such as social work, medicine, education, and nursing.

The Rosa A. Wilson Scholarship aims to support young women who seek to address injustice and systemic challenges through their careers. Any female African American high school or undergraduate student who is majoring in a helping profession and has at least a 3.0 GPA may apply for this scholarship opportunity.

2. Margaret J. Davis Scholarship

Amount: $1,000

Provider: Dana Mitchell

Obtaining higher education opens many doors for people to learn, explore their passions, and thrive later in life. Unfortunately, obtaining an education can also be very expensive and often feels like an unattainable dream to disadvantaged communities, such as Black single mothers. The Margaret J. Davis Scholarship seeks to support single moms who are pursuing their dreams of higher education in order to make the journey less difficult.

3. B.A.B.Y. L.O.V.E. Scholarship

Amount: $1,000

Provider: Tolbert Family

Joyce Tolbert, a mother of five children, was passionate about outreach based on showing God’s love through service to others. She believed in the power of education, especially for women of color. 

The Tolbert Family would like to honor their matriarch by supporting the educational endeavors of young women of color who display the same passion for outreach or the same B.A.B.Y. L.O.V.E. spirit through this B.A.B.Y.L.O.V.E Scholarship

4. Nabi Nicole Grant Memorial Scholarship

Amount: $1,000

Provider: Tandy Green

The Nabi Nicole Grant Memorial Scholarship aims to honor the memory of Nabi Nicole by supporting other women who share her faith and ambition. Any female, African American student with financial need who is pursuing a degree in theology or religious studies may apply for this scholarship.

5. Dr. W. A. Frazier “Sister-to-Sister” Scholarship

Amount: $1,000

Provider: National Hook-up of Black Women, Inc. (NHBW)

The “Sister-to-Sister” Scholarship was named in honor of Dr. Frazier to provide financial assistance to mature African American Women in their pursuit of post-secondary education. Applicants must be female, identify as Black/African American, and must be a continuing or returning student, whose education was interrupted by family responsibilities or other personal demands and is now ready to complete college or one who is entering college for the first time because of these factors.

6. Margaret A. Briller Memorial Nursing Scholarship

Amount: $2,500

Provider: Enitra Briller

The Margaret A. Briller Memorial Nursing Scholarship seeks to honor the life of Margaret A. Briller by supporting women who are following in her footsteps and pursuing the nursing field. Any African American female, undergraduate or graduate student, residing in the state of Texas, and pursuing a nursing degree may apply for this scholarship opportunity.

7. Ethnic Minority and Women’s Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship

Amount: $10,000

Provider: National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA aims to increase the pool of opportunities for qualified minority and female candidates in intercollegiate athletics with this big-ticket scholarship. The Ethnic Minority and Women’s Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship is valued at $10,000 for up to 26 winners! Applicants must be seeking admission or have been accepted into a sports administration or sports-related program that will assist in obtaining a career in intercollegiate athletics (athletics administrator, coach, athletic trainer or other careers that provide a direct service to intercollegiate athletics).

8. Holly A. Cornell and Dave Caldwell Scholarships

Amount: $5,000 and $10,000

Provider: American Water Works Association

The American Water Works Association has created the Holly A. Cornell Scholarship and the Dave Caldwell Scholarship to benefit students pursuing an engineering degree in the drinking water field. If you’re a female engineer, check these scholarship opportunities out!

9. Invictus/Verus Scholarship Program

Amount: $5,000

Provider: Invictus/Verus / Scholarship America

The Invictus/Verus Scholarship Program is awarding 4 (four) $5,000 scholarships to support diverse women who aspire to careers in business, finance and banking. Applicants must be a current undergraduate college student, be enrolled full-time or part-time at an accredited four-year college, self-identify as a female, as Black or African American; Hispanic or Latina; or American Indian or Alaska native, and be pursuing a field of study related to business, finance, capital markets, real estate and/or banking.

10. Girls Start-Up Business Plan Scholarship Competition

Amount: $10,000

Provider: College Board

The Girls Start-Up Business Plan Scholarship Competition helps to increase entrepreneurial and digital literacy skills among high school junior and senior female students of color. Recipients of this award will have the opportunity to create a start-up business and website, present their business pitch, and receive college prep resources and mentorship. Competition finalists are required to present in person during the summer.

11. John E. Foster Minority Engineering Scholarship Fund

Amount: $40,000

Provider: The Columbus Foundation

The John E. Foster Minority Engineering Scholarship Fund was established by engineering firms involved in the Clean Water Columbus Project to honor John E. Foster, one of the first prominent African-American engineers in Columbus who owned the largest minority-owned engineering firm in Columbus. The scholarship supports students who are female or a member of a minority.

Disclaimer: This blog post provides personal finance educational information, and it is not intended to provide legal, financial, or tax advice.

Allyson Edwards
Latest posts by Allyson Edwards (see all)

Ready to find scholarships that are a match for you?