Today more than ever, there are many scholarship opportunities available to students of African American descent. However, it can be a bit of a struggle to uncover these scholarships if you don't know where to look. You may be frustrated at the seeming lack of opportunities - you may even feel like giving up. If you are serious about attending college and would like the opportunity to earn money to do so, you have to put in a little effort to find those hidden gems.

Take Initiative

Scholarships are not going to fall into your lap. As much as you might hate the process of searching for scholarships, you have to put in a bit of work to reap the rewards. This guide will aim to show you various scholarship opportunities for African American students, and how to find the ones that best suit your needs.

However, you are the one who ultimately must put in the legwork of rooting through the information and applying for the scholarships that interest you.

Scholarship Opportunities

Interested in applying for scholarships? The following list will guide you to the scholarships that offer money to African American students, and how you can apply for these awards. This is not an all-inclusive list; it's a select group of quality scholarship opportunities that can get you started on your research.

You may find that all of them suit your needs, or you may find that none of them do. Whatever the case may be, these scholarship links are designed to help you on your path to finding scholarship opportunities that are right for you.

Thurgood Marshall College Fund

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund is an excellent scholarship opportunity. Awarded per semester, the award goes to students who demonstrate exceptional financial need, are merit-based, and can be renewable. Additionally, the scholarship can only be used to pay for books, room and board, college tuition and/or other educational fees. For a full list of requirements, please visit their website for more information.

United Negro College Fund

Another quality resource, the United Negro College Fund offers minority students the chance to apply for numerous scholarship opportunities. Their scholarships help cover all educational costs including tuition, room and board, books and other fees. Visit their website to fill out a general application, where you will then be matched up with the opportunities that best suit your needs.

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

For minority accounting students, this scholarship opportunity awards up to $5,000 for students who demonstrate outstanding educational abilities. The scholarship from AICPA encourages students to choose accounting as their major and help prepare them for entrance into accounting as a career. Visit their website for a full list of application requirements and eligibility guidelines.

Vivien Thomas Scholarship

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, INC sponsors the Vivien Thomas Scholarship for minority students who are pursuing a science or medical-related degree. The scholarship was created to honor the life of Vivien Thomas, an African American who overcame the bonds of racism and hatred to create surgeries that saved peoples lives.

Applications will not be accepted until later this spring, but you can visit their website for additional information about this remarkable scholarship opportunity.

More Resources

While the above listed scholarship opportunities are designed to set you on your path to educational success, they are not the only opportunities available to minority students interested in obtaining money for their college educations. There are plenty of additional websites that offer scholarship search opportunities where you can research various scholarships according to what will best suit your needs.

Black Excel is arguably one of the greatest college resources for African American students interested in pursuing higher education. The website offers many resources, including black college tour listings, scholarships and internship opportunities for minority students, and many other helpful resources.

Check out their website to find helpful information, links, and resources to further your search for the best minority scholarships out there.

Regardless what degree program you're interested in pursuing, there are scholarships available to you that will help lessen the financial burden a college education can have on young students. By browsing the resources listed above, you are already well on your way to finding scholarship opportunities that suit your educational goals.

The Bottom Line

There's no doubt about it - college is expensive. Finding scholarship opportunities for minority students can be frustrating, but you're already armed with the basic information you need to begin your search. The key thing to remember when applying for scholarships is to ensure you meet the eligibility requirements for each scholarship you're applying for. You'll save a lot of time in the long run by thoroughly checking to make sure you're applying for opportunities that not only meet your needs, but that you also meet the requirements for. For example, if you plan to study science in college but are applying for a minority scholarship that only accepts journalism candidates, you're not going to get very far!

If you're unsure what career path you'd like to pursue, look for scholarship opportunities that accept students from any degree field. That way, even if you switch your major during the school year you will still be eligible for the scholarship. Open-ended degree scholarships are useful even if you know what you'd like to study, since they're open to any academic major.

Similarly, if you do know what you plan to study and don't have any plans of changing your major, you may want to research scholarship opportunities that are available specifically for your degree path. If you're studying journalism, look for a scholarship that caters to minority journalism students. Similarly, if you are pursuing a degree for law, look for opportunities that help minority law students fund their college education.

There are countless opportunities available to minority college students who wish to pursue a degree in higher education. You've been given the basics - now, it's your turn to start applying for the opportunities that will best work for your educational goals!