As a result of a great deal of Native American educational legislation in the United States, there are substantial resources for obtaining Native American scholarships. Scholarships are educational funding awards that never have to be repaid- provided the terms, conditions, and obligations, if any, of the awarding programs are met.
Native Americans make up a tiny fraction of the US population- less than 1%. Because of this, many Native Americans are isolated and unaware of the educational funding opportunities available to them. In fact, Native American scholarships are readily available and have low competition rates. Unfortunately, these types of programs are not often advertised outside of the programs offered within tribes or on particular reservations. Nevertheless, students seeking these programs should be aware that grants and scholarships can be awarded federally, locally, at the state government level, or by businesses, corporations, private individuals, non-profit organizations, charities, and professional associations.
Regardless of what source is used, all students seeking Native American scholarships, grants, or other forms of aid will be required to prove their heritage so that others cannot manipulate or take advantage of these valuable programs. In most cases, a CIB or Certificate of Indian Blood card must be issued to the student. Contacting the Bureau of Indian Affairs is the most efficient method of obtaining this card. Most scholarships and grants available at public educational institutions require a minimum of 25% Native American blood in order to qualify for their programs, while some specialized programs require as much as 50% blood. Today, very few Native Americans can claim more than 60% blood, setting the expectation that these requirements will be lowered as generational blood is diluted through crossbreeding and interracial marriage.
Students requiring Native American scholarships should check with their local tribe. Tribal groups often offer their own scholarships and grants programs that are only available to members of their own tribe. In some cases, the awards must be used at schools managed by the tribe, but occasionally the student may use the scholarship at other schools around the country.
The US Bureau of Indian Affairs is a large source for Native American scholarships. Under their programs, students with more than 25% Indian blood may qualify for these programs, although there may be additional requirements in order to earn awards. Some of these requirements may include academic excellence, athletic performance, minimum GPA level and sometimes program of study. Some grants and scholarships awarded through the BIA may have additional requirements in order to continue to meet ongoing obligations.
Another excellent source of scholarships and grants is the American Indian College fund, which provides thousands of scholarships to certified tribal members each year. Often this organization will work in conjunction with schools and universities around the country to ensure that Native American students are aware of the options available and are educated on how to take advantage of these opportunities.
There are hundreds of organizations dedicated to providing scholarships and grants to deserving students. One of these is the federal government. By filling out a FAFSA, a student can indicate their heritage and possibly qualify for thousands of dollars in educational funding. This is also true for Native Americans who were born in Canada and can prove their Native American ancestry. In addition to grants and scholarships, the FAFSA may provide other resources, such as work study and educational loans.
Scholarships for Native American students are also awarded by private and public entities outside of the government and tribal organizations. Some of these include the Gates Millennium Scholars Program, the Displaced Homemaker Scholarship fund, and the Judith McManus Price Scholarship, among many others. Students seeking scholarships should conduct careful research and apply with as many organizations as possible, as there is no limit to the number of grants and scholarships that a student can receive in a given year.
Provided that students can prove their ancestry, create well-worded and error free applications, make submissions in advance of the deadline and handle all follow-up communications, the chances are great that the Native American scholarships needed to fund an education can be obtained.