Ultimate Scholarships Guide for Minorities in STEM

According to Education Data Initiative 2022, on average, Latinos and Black students owe $25,000 more than white students. Black students also often owe more than their net worth. These factors result in high monthly payments that many struggle to pay. 

The number of Black and Hispanic students receiving STEM degrees remains low. However, scholarships and federal student aid can make STEM careers more accessible.  

Below, you can find several scholarships for minority students based on academic, identity and financial need.

National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) scholarships

Amount: $1,000-$15,000 Deadline: June 30, 2022 (spring cycle); January 6, 2023 (fall cycle)

Eligibility limitations: Active NSBE membership; 2.0-3.0 minimum GPA; some scholarships specify universities and engineering majors

About: The NSBE partners with various foundations and companies to provide 15 scholarships to aspiring engineers. Society members can apply during the spring or fall cycles.

Apply now 

Latinos in Technology Scholarship

Amount: Up to $30,000 over three years Deadline: March 17, 2023 (application opens January 2, 2023)

Eligibility limitations: Hispanic or Latino/a STEM majors; 3.0 minimum GPA; attended high school or currently attends a college in Northern California; community college student or rising junior/senior at a four-year institution

About: The Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley awards 100 scholarships per year. Applicants submit a personal statement, a recommendation letter, and transcripts. Winners may enjoy summer internships. 

Apply now 

ScholarSHPE

Amount: $1,000-$25,000 Deadline: April 30, 2023

Eligibility limitations: High school senior or college student (undergraduate or graduate) pursuing a STEM degree; 2.75-3.0 minimum GPA; SHPE member; major and university limitations vary

About: SHPE partners with companies like Intel and the Medtronic Foundation. Together, they offer several scholarships to Hispanics pursuing STEM degrees. Students can apply for multiple scholarships.

Apply now 

American Indian Graduate Center NextEra Energy Foundation (NEEF) Scholarship

Amount: $5,000 per year Deadline: June 1, 2022

Eligibility limitations: Undergraduate/graduate student; American Indian Tribe or Alaska Native group member

About: The NEEF scholarship supports students pursuing a career in renewable energy. Approved majors include STEM disciplines. The foundation also accepts applicants pursuing energy, cultural sustainability, and environmental degrees. 

Apply now 

Science Post Graduate Scholarship Fund (SPGSF)

Amount: Up to $20,000 (undergraduate) or $30,000 (graduate) per year

Deadline: June 1, 2023

Eligibility limitations: Undergraduate/graduate STEM major; Alaska Native group/American Indian Tribe member or prove 25% American Indian heritage

About: American Indian Graduate Center (AIGC) offers many scholarships. This one helps fund full-time STEM students in financial need. 

Apply now

Better Together STEM Scholarship! Applications are currently open until the beginning of June. Ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 the program is available to students who are pursuing STEM-related careers at universities in California and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the U.S. Eligible applicants include graduating high school seniors, college students, veterans, nontraditional students, and adults returning to school and plan to enroll in a full-time undergraduate program at an accredited four-year college or university.  

The Olay Face the STEM Gap Scholarship This scholarship program will support women of color in achieving gender parity in STEM. The program will offer to students $2,500 in scholarship support that is renewable up to $5,000 for the 2022-2023 academic year, the opportunity to apply to the P&G Standout Program; and the opportunity to apply for careers at PGCareers.com. The Program is designed to give top students immersive experiences in a culture where diverse backgrounds, experiences, and ways of thinking are valued and included to make a meaningful impact from Day 1. The desire is to have a diverse group of top candidates for this program. Underrepresented students including, but not limited to, female an/or Black or African-American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander or two or more races are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Thiel Fondation Fellowship Program is a two year program for young people who want to build new things pursuing projects in biotech, career development, economics and finance, education, energy, information technology, mobility, robotics and space are encouraged to apply.

Intel Scholarship program: applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements: Be a U.S. citizen. Be African American. Be a full-time student at an accredited U.S. based college or university beginning fall 2022. Be pursuing a bachelor’s (sophomore, junior or senior), master’s, or doctorate degree beginning fall 2022. Have a 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA on a 4.0 point scale. Major in one of the following academic disciplines: Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Information Systems, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Neuroscience, Physics or Software Engineering. Have a desire to pursue an internship or a full-time job with Intel. Please note that an internship / full time job is not a requirement to receive the scholarship. And scholarship recipients are not guaranteed an internship nor a full time job at Intel.

For consideration, applicants must submit the online application complete with the following required application materials by the application due date of May 31, 2022. Current academic transcript Respond to the following essay questions in a maximum of 400 words in the Essay Section of the online application. Three Essay Questions: Provide an example of a time when you demonstrated your leadership abilities. What were you trying to accomplish and how did you influence others? What were the results of the actions you took? The example does not need to be in a formal leadership capacity. Describe a situation where you faced a particular challenge or adversity. How did you overcome it and how has it shaped who you are today? If you had 30 seconds to speak to a potential hiring manager in an elevator, how would you describe your profile to get your dream job? Start with, “I am who Intel is looking for because…” Selected undergraduate students will receive $5,000 ; and selected graduate/doctoral students will receive $10,000. The scholarship awards are one-time and based on merit. The funds will be wired to the students’ attending institutions in the fall 2022.

The Kaiser Permanente Health Equity Scholars Program supports young leaders who have a demonstrated interest in pursuing a clinical (e.g., pharmacist, physician, practitioner, nurse) or non-clinical (e.g., accounting, business administration, human resources, marketing, public policy) career in the healthcare industry. At Kaiser Permanente we believe everyone should have equal access to education and live a long, healthy life. The Kaiser Permanente Health Equity Scholars Program aims to build healthier communities by helping students achieve their dreams of going to college. This scholarship program enables young leaders to pursue a clinical or non-clinical career in the healthcare industry.

Don’t worry if the deadline’s passed — these scholarships are offered every year and should be back for 2023. While this does give you some time to apply for scholarships, it still is a good idea to start searching for scholarships as early as you can. These five minority scholarships are just a few of many available at www.ioscholarships.com.

If you need more information to help you win big scholarships read the following article.