Scholarships and grants usually have specific criteria to target a particular population so that they can go to those it is meant for. This blog post focuses on the computer science scholarships for black students (African-American) to apply for and get free funding to cover the cost of their studies.
It is no news that college in the US is expensive which has, unfortunately, discouraged many from attending thereby killing their academic and career aspirations. This high cost of tuition has also plunged many graduates into student debts that they will spend many years paying back. However, this shouldn’t stop you from pursuing your academic aspirations as I have brought good news to you.
Aside from taking student loans, there are other financial aid options that you can apply for to get free funding that you can use towards your college tuition and never pay back as they are free money. I am talking about scholarships and grants. These are the two kinds of financial aid options you can apply for and receive non-refundable funds that you can use to offset tuition fees.
Some of these aids can go as far as covering your cost of living and providing you with a monthly stipend. With the provision of scholarships and grants, you can be encouraged to go ahead and pursue an academic degree program of your choice.
However, you should know that there are different types of grants and scholarships targeted at different people and if you do not fall into that criteria but still go ahead and apply, your application will not be considered. What this means is that, if there are scholarships for single moms over 30 or if you find a grant for married moms returning to school and apply for either of them without fitting into the category of the scholarship or grant, your application will not be considered.
This was what I meant when I stated that there are different scholarships targeted at a specific population or group of people to ensure that the deserving persons receive them through proper assessment. Therefore, you should completely go through the eligibility criteria and requirements of every scholarship to ensure it is meant for you.
The computer science scholarships for black students curated here are meant for African-Americans who want to pursue or are already enrolled in a computer science degree or a related course in college. The aim of these scholarships is to encourage black students to pursue computer science programs and to produce more graduates from that group to fill up job roles.
Before we dive into the main topic, you will be pleased to know that there are many scholarships for black students that go unclaimed annually. You can also apply for them and when you receive the funding it can be towards your computer science studies.
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Computer Science Scholarships For Black Students
The high cost of tuition in the US can be discouraging to students who want to further their studies but there are scholarships and grants that are set up to counter this high cost of tuition. Applying for scholarships and receiving them can go a long way to offset college tuition fees and further encourage students to never give up on their dreams.
While there are many different kinds of scholarships scattered across the World Wide Web, I have, through extensive research, gathered computer science scholarships for black students and curated them here. This way, it becomes easy for interested students to find all the scholarships, their specific info on their requirements and eligibility criteria, and their application link all in one place thereby saving them the time and stress of searching for them one by one.
Now, all you need to do is simply read through and apply for the ones that suit you best. And now, without any further ado, let’s get into the list of computer science scholarships for black students.
- P.O. Pistilli Undergraduate Scholarship
- Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Scholarships
- Hewlett Packard Enterprise Scholarship
- The Gates Scholarship (TGS)
- NACME Scholarships
- UNCF Chevron Corporate Scholars Program
- Ron Brown Scholarship
- Blacks at Microsoft (BAM) Scholarships
- Palantir Future Scholarship
- NSHSS STEAM Scholarships
1. P.O. Pistilli Undergraduate Scholarship
P.O. Pistilli Undergraduate Scholarship is aimed at high school students from under-represented groups which includes African-American, female, Hispanic, Native American, and disabled students, who want to pursue an undergraduate degree in computer science or electrical engineering. Thus, if you are a black student who wants to pursue a bachelor’s or associate’s degree in computer science you can apply for this and be considered for a scholarship.
Eligibility for the scholarship includes that you must have a minimum of 3.0 GPA on a scale of 4.0, excellent academic record in math and science courses, demonstrate financial need, be a resident of the United States, and express interest in pursuing computer science or computer engineering. The value of the scholarship is $4,000 per year, awarded to 2-7 students, and renewable for up to 5 years. Additionally, the scholarship is awarded annually.
2. Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Scholarships
The Society of Women Engineers offers different scholarship opportunities to all women who want to pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree program in STEM. You can also apply for scholarships if you are already enrolled in a STEM program at the undergraduate or graduate degree level.
This scholarship is not particularly aimed at black people but at every woman out there. There are SWE scholarships every year so, if you missed this year you can apply for the next. Computer science and computer engineering are STEM programs.
3. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Scholarship
Black students with outstanding academic performance enrolled in undergraduate business or STEM-related degree programs which include computer science and computer engineering can apply for the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Scholarship award.
It is only open to those in junior and sophomore years in college. Applicants are required to have a minimum GPA of 3.0 to be considered for the award. Winners will receive $8,245 per year for a total of 2 years to offset the cost of tuition at their respective colleges. It is open every year.
4. The Gates Scholarship (TGS)
TGS awards scholarships to high-performing, minority, high school seniors from low-income households. To break it down, if you are in your final years in high school and an African-American, a citizen or permanent resident of the US, have a minimum CGPA of 3.3 on a scale of 4.0, and plan to enroll full-time into a 4-year degree program such as computer science at an accredited university in the US, then you can apply for TGS award.
The scholarship covers tuition, fees, room, board, books, transportation, and cost of living. You must be Pell-eligible and possess leadership qualities, and exceptional personal success skills to be an ideal candidate. The scholarship is available every year.
5. NACME Scholarships
The National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME) offers more than $5 million in scholarships every year to students from minority groups which also includes black students. The NACME Scholarships has a thousand slots open every year to fund the studies of black and other minority students who want to pursue a degree in engineering or computer science.
To be eligible, you must either be a high school senior or within one year of graduating high school or matriculating at a community college. You must have an intent to pursue engineering or a computer science program, meet the minimum GPA requirement, and be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States to qualify for the scholarship.
6. UNCF Chevron Corporate Scholars Program
The UNCF Chevron Corporate Scholars Program provides free funding for up to 2 years and is worth $15,000 to high school seniors who have been accepted into a Historically Black College/University (HBCU) and are about to resume as a freshman.
Other eligibility criteria for this award include demonstrating outstanding leadership abilities, interest in pursuing a degree in computer science or computer engineering, having a CGPA of 2.8 on a scale of 4.0, and must be a citizen or permanent resident of the US. Applicants are further required to submit an essay, and resume, and demonstrate financial need.
7. Ron Brown Scholarship
The Ron Brown Scholarship aims to advance higher education for community-minded and intellectually gifted African-Americans. The scholarship awards 45 – 50 black students $10,000 each for 4 years to attend any accredited university and pursue a program of their choice. Black students who want to pursue computer science can make use of this opportunity.
Candidates must demonstrate financial need, be a citizen or permanent resident of the US, be a high school senior at the time of application, demonstrate leadership abilities, and possess outstanding academic performance.
8. Blacks at Microsoft (BAM) Scholarships
BAM Scholarships is one of the computer science scholarships for black people. To be eligible, you must have a 3.0 CGPA or higher, possess leadership qualities, demonstrate financial need, plan to attend a 4-year college to pursue computer science or a related course, and be passionate about tech.
Transcripts, one letter of recommendation, and an essay are also required to apply for the scholarship.
9. Palantir Future Scholarship
The Palantir Future Scholarship was set up to encourage black students to pursue a career in STEM which includes computer science, computer engineering, and related fields. You must have been enrolled in an accredited higher institution as a freshman, sophomore, or junior student. The scholarship is only for undergraduates and the award is $7,000 for each scholarship recipient.
10. NSHSS STEAM Scholarships
High school students who want to pursue an academic degree in any branch of STEAM can apply for this scholarship and win $1,000. If you are a black student who wants to pursue computer science or a related degree at any accredited public or private college in the US, you can apply for this scholarship.
Requirements for the scholarship application include a 500 – 800-word essay, a recommendation letter from an educator, an academic resume, a current transcript, and a color headshot.
I probably may have skipped it in some of the scholarships but all the computer science scholarships for black students listed here are provided every year. So, if they are closed for this year, check in the next year, or better still, bookmark this page.
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