6 Scholarships for black students going unclaimed you can apply to right now

Despite the hundreds of millions in scholarship awards annually, minority groups, such as black students, often get ignored. To address this gap, some organizations have set up specialized scholarships to support black students.

Yet, statistics show that some of these scholarships go unclaimed. 

In this article, you will learn what is behind this alarming trend why this is so. You will also discover scholarships that are going unclaimed and how you can claim them fast.

To begin, let us consider why scholarships targeting black students often go unclaimed.

Why Scholarships Go Unclaimed

According to Forbes, an estimated $100 million in scholarship money goes unclaimed each year. Part of these unclaimed funds is specifically meant for black students. 

But why do scholarships go unclaimed?

One reason for this is inadequate publicity in black communities. As a result, fewer eligible candidates get to know about the provision of such scholarships.

There is also the problem of candidate apathy where minority communities question the sincerity of funders and as a result, do not even bother making applications.

6 Scholarships for Black Students Currently Unclaimed 

Now that you know why scholarships go unclaimed, are you ready to discover 6 scholarships for black students which are currently open for claiming? 

OK, let’s dive right in!

1. National Black Nurses Association Scholarships 

The National Black Nurses Association Scholarships are meant for black students at all levels (LPN to Doctorate). 

These scholarships are awarded to awardees every year at the Annual Institute and Conference. NBNA offers various scholarships which range from $1,000 – $15,000.

Some of the various scholarships offered by the association include:

• Dr. Lauranne Sams Scholarship
• Margaret Pemberton Scholarship
• NBNA Board of Directors Scholarship
• Maria R. Dudley Advanced Practice Nurse Scholarship
• Dr. Daisy Harmon-Allen Scholarship
• NBNA Social Justice Scholarship
• Arizona College of Nursing Scholarship 
• Dr. Kenya Williams Health Policy Leadership Scholarship
• Aya Healthcare Nurses of Tomorrow Scholarship 
• BAND AID® BRAND Black Healthcare Heroes in Nursing Scholarship Program.

You will find more scholarships offered by NBNA here.

Scholarship requirements

To be eligible for NBNA scholarships, you must meet the following requirements:

• You MUST be registered with the National Black Nurses Association as a member. In addition, you must also be a member of a local branch of NBNA (i.e. if there is one in your locality). If a branch of NBNA is not within 50-radius of your locality, then you should join NBNA as a Direct Member. 
• You MUST be currently undertaking a nursing program (LPN/LVN, ADN, RN-BSN, Generic BSN, Masters, Doctorate)
• You MUST be in good scholastic standing at the time of applying for this scholarship.
• You must have at least one (1) full year of schooling left before you graduate.

Additionally, you must provide the following:

• One or more official transcript(s) from an accredited Nursing school
• A 500-word maximum or two-paged Personal Statement or Essay
• Two letters of recommendation. The first should be from the Dean or a Faculty member, while the second from Chapter President/Vice President.
• 5-page maximum resume
• A letter from the Registrar verifying your enrollment and your expected date of graduation. 
•  A clear professional headshot photograph.
•  Additional documents that go with the application in support of the candidate’s eligibility and desirability may include documented evidence of the following:

1. Applicant’s involvement in the African American Community, i.e., letters, news clippings, awards, certificates, etc and
2. Applicant’s participation in student nurse activities. 

How to apply

Before proceeding with the application, make sure you have the following necessary documents:

1. All Documents related to completing the scholarship application process.
2. The 2023 Scholarship JotForm Application form.
3. NBNA 2022 Membership Application form. Note that prior to completing the application, you should review the Chapter Directory which can be found under the Membership tab. This will aid you in locating your State and a chapter in your location.
4. The 2023 National Black Nurses Association Membership Honor Pledge.

Note that your completed online application as well as all supporting documents must be submitted and received by 15^th April 2023.

2. Ron Brown Scholar Program

The Ron Brown Scholar Program was named after Ron Brown, America’s first Black secretary of commerce during the Clinton administration in 1993. 

Ron Brown scholarship program is geared towards uplifting the lives of intellectually gifted, public and community service-minded African-Americans. This goal is accomplished by accelerating the progress of African-Americans into impactful leadership roles and opportunities. 

Applicants who are intellectually gifted and socially conscious Black high school students and are from low-income households are usually preferred for this scholarship. Each year, the program gives a scholarship of $40,000 to 40-50 applicants. The scholars are also granted membership in a lifetime network of career and ppersonal support. 

Scholarship requirements

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• You must be an American of Black/African origin 
• You must excel academically.
• You must exhibit exceptional leadership potential.
• You must participate in community service activities.
• You must be ready to demonstrate financial need.
• You must be a US citizen or hold a permanent resident visa card.
• You must be a current high school senior at the time of your application.  NOTE: Current college students are not eligible to apply for this scholarship.

How to apply

Note the scholarship application timeline as shown in the table below:

S/N	Date	Activity
1	September – January 9th	All interested applicants can begin to complete and submit the Ron Brown Scholar Program scholarship application.
2	November 1	Early Applicant Deadline: All interested applicants who submit their applications latest November 1st will not only be eligible to be considered for the Ron Brown Scholar Program, but they will also be eligible to have their contact information sent to a number of selected additional colleges and scholarship providers.  However, each applicant is still responsible for submitting all required documents to any universities, colleges, and scholarship programs they are interested in.
3	January 9th	Final deadline for applicants to be considered for the Ron Brown Scholarship Program ONLY.
4	January – March	All applications are reviewed by the Program staff.
5	Mid-February	All semi-finalists are notified.
6	Early March	All Ron Brown Scholarship finalists are notified and invited to take part in a selection process in Washington, D.C. This is done during weekend and at the expense of the Ron Brown Scholar Program. All finalists will be interviewed by members of the RBSP National Selection Committee. Finalists participates in several activities during this period. Scholarship winners are selected based on their application materials, interviews, and participation in the weekend activities.
7	April 15	Winners in the competition are notified.

With the above in mind, click here to apply for the Ron Brown Scholar Program. 

3. Wrigley’s Foundation Scholarship 

This is another scholarship for black students going unclaimed. The William Wrigley scholarship is available to undergraduate students who are enrolled in UNCF member schools during the 2022-2023 academic year. The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) is the largest private scholarship provider for minority group members in the United States. Candidates applying for this scholarship should be undergraduate students who are majoring in engineering (chemical, mechanical, electrical, industrial), finance, accounting, chemistry, economics, marketing, business, or computer science.

Scholarship requirements 

Applicants for the Wm. Wrigley’s Foundation Scholarship must:

• Possess minimum GPA of 2.5 on a scale of 4.0
• Be resident in the United States
• Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or permanent resident.
• Be a student of UNCF-affiliated colleges/universities
• Major in any of the following disciplines: Business, Management, Marketing, Support Services, Physical Sciences, Engineering, and other related fields.

How to apply

To apply for this scholarship, you must have an account with UNCF.  Click here to log in to your account or to sign up for a new account.

NOTE: The deadline for this scholarship is November 24, 2022.

4. WAAW Foundation Scholarship

The Working to Advance Science and Technology Education for African Women (WAAW) Foundation was established by Dr. Unoma Okorafor in 2007. The foundation is an international non-profit organization with the objective of empowering African Females through STEM Education, as well as Leadership and Entrepreneurship Training.  WAAW Foundation awards $500 scholarship to need-based undergraduate female African students admitted to any institution of higher learning. 

Scholarship requirements 

To be eligible for this scholarship, applicants must:

• Be female students of African origin, and must be living and studying in Africa.
• Be enrolled in an undergraduate B.Sc degree program at the time of application. 
• Be undergraduates studying STEM-related courses in a higher institution in Africa.
• Have demonstrable financial need
• Possess excellent Academic Record.
• Have proven leadership qualities, volunteering and community service record.
• Be below the age of 32 years.
• Be students in their first and second year or students in their third year if studying a five-year course.

How to apply

 Your application will include the following: 

• The application form filled out completely.
• Personal and Contact Information.
• Educational background and Family Information.
• Statement of need which should describe why you need the scholarship fund as well as what the money will be used for if granted.
• Essays which are important criteria in determining candidates who are selected. Ensure you have your essay responses ready before you begin the application process.

1. In 500 words at most, write an essay on your future career goals, identifying how you expect the WAAW foundation scholarship to assist in fulfilling those goals. 

2. In 300 words or less, describe what you believe regarding female education in Africa as well as its impact on research, development, or advancement in African economies. 

3. In about 500 words, what is your proudest achievement to date? 

4. Describe in about ten or fewer sentences, the reason why you need a scholarship, Tell us about your need or personal/family/financial situation and how the funds from the WAAW scholarship will assist your education and/or career goals/plans. 

• Two (2) academic/professional references. Be aware that recommendation letters and transcripts aren’t required at the time of application. Only AFTER a candidate They are only required AFTER a candidate has been shortlisted. However, applicants must provide two references in their application.

With these in mind, click here to apply for the WAAW Foundation Scholarship. 

5. Goldman Sachs MBA Fellowship 

Founded in 1997 the Goldman Sachs MBA Fellowship is awarded to recognize outstanding students and their achievements. The fellowship  is a reflection of Goldman Sachs business principles. Recipients of this fellowship receive $35,000 in awards. Additionally, they get a Summer Associate salary. They are also awarded $40,000 upon successful completion of the internship program and subsequent acceptance of a full-time offer. This is in addition to any full-time Associate signing bonus, as applicable.

The deadline for this program is December 15, 2022. 

Eligibility

The category of candidates eligible for this program include:

• First-year MBA students
• Students who are pursuing a 2023 Summer Associate position at Goldman Sachs
• LGBTQ+
• Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Native American/Indigenous, or Women.

How to apply 

To apply for this program, you first need to complete an account in the application portal.

6. ACS Scholarships 

From inception to date, more than 3,500 students have received funding from the ACS Scholars Program. The ACS Scholars Program awards renewable scholarships to undergraduate students enrolled in the chemical sciences, majoring in chemistry-related disciplines, and intending to pursue chemistry-related careers. These students must be from historically underrepresented or minority groups, such as African-Americans. All selected applicants are awarded up to $5,000 per academic year.

Scholarship requirements 

To apply for this scholarship, applicants should meet the following criteria

• Applicants must be U.S. citizens or  legal permanent U.S. residents
• Applicants must be African-American/Black, American Indian, or  Hispanic/Latino, since the program is meant for historically underrepresented or minority groups.
• Eligible applicants are graduating high school seniors or college freshmen, sophomores, or juniors. 
• Applicants must be students intending to major or are already majoring in chemistry, biochemistry, chemical engineering, chemical technology, or another chemistry-related science. They must also be planning to pursue a career in a chemistry-related science. 
• Applicants must be full-time students at a high school or an accredited college, university, or community college
• Applicants must have demonstrated high academic achievement in chemistry or science (Minimum GPA of 3.0)

How to apply 

Applications for this scholarship open by November 1, 2022, and close by March 1, 2023.

The following are the documents required for this application: 

• Official Transcript(s) which must include fall semester grade, and college freshmen must submit high school and college transcripts. The official transcript (s) must be sent from school in a sealed envelope or by transcript clearing house to: scholars@acs.org. For mailing, it can be mailed to; ACS Scholar Program, 1155 16th St NW Washington, D.C. 20036.
• Two letters of recommendation one of these letters must be from a chemistry, science, or math teacher or research advisor. Both recommenders must send the letters as .pdf or Word document to: scholars@acs.org. Note that letters will not be accepted from applicants or their parents. 
• Copy of Student Aid Report (SAR) which will be provided to you after submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. The SAR must be for the upcoming academic year, and not for the current year. Note too that the SAR should be sent by email to: scholars@acs.org

For more application information, click here.  

Claim Those Scholarships For Black Communities Now

Having considered six scholarships for black students going unclaimed, make sure you apply for one or more of these scholarships.

Because the scholarships discussed above are specifically provided for Black/African-American students, you’ll likely have more chances of winning these scholarships if you meet the requirements. Also remember to always check back for more timely updates you shouldn’t miss.