Best Summer Break Scholarships for Black College Students in 2026

Are you a Black college student struggling to pay tuition and other school expenses? Start applying for summer break scholarships for Black college students while you have more free time and fewer academic deadlines competing for your attention.

The truth is, scholarship season does not stop when the school year ends. While your peers are relaxing, working summer jobs, or preparing for the fall, you can use this time to apply for scholarships that may help you graduate with less debt.

Many organizations specifically offer scholarships during these months, recognizing that students need financial support year-round, not just during the fall and spring semesters. These opportunities range from merit-based awards to need-based grants, and many are designed specifically to support Black students pursuing higher education.

Below, you’ll find a curated list of summer break scholarships for black college students that you can apply for this summer. Each one includes eligibility requirements, deadlines, and award amounts to help you decide which opportunities are worth your time.

Table of Contents

Top 41 Summer Break Scholarships for Black College Students

Margaret A. Briller Memorial Nursing Scholarship

Open to: Female African American undergraduate and graduate students who reside in Texas
Majors: Nursing
GPA Minimum: 3.0
Amount: $500
Deadline: July 10

Desire to Inspire Scholarship

Open to: Students who will be high school juniors and seniors in the fall and are from a historically underrepresented minority group and are interested in a career in healthcare
Majors: All
GPA Minimum: 3.0
Amount: $2,000 1st Place, $1,000 2nd Place, and $500 3rd Place
Deadline: July 12

Jerome L. James “Rise” Creative Writing Scholarship

Open to: African American male high school seniors
Majors: Creative Writing, English, Literary Arts, Language Arts, or Humanities
GPA Minimum: 3.2
Amount: $1,500
Deadline: July 14

Jewell W. Rollins Memorial Scholarship

Open to: African American high school seniors
Majors: Journalism, Communications, or Public Affairs
GPA Minimum: 2.5
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: July 14

Maurice “Trillz” Johnson Memorial Scholarship

Open to: African American high school seniors and college students
Majors: Business, Economics or Finance
GPA Minimum: 3.0
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: July 14

Bill H. James Foundation Scholarship

Open to: California African American/Black undergraduate juniors or seniors and graduate students
Majors: Engineering
GPA Minimum: 3.2
Amount: Varies
Deadline: July 15

Reuben A. Jacobs Sr. Memorial Scholarship

Open to: African American male student-athletes who are high school seniors, current college students, or Adult learners from the South Jersey or Philadelphia area
Majors: All
GPA Minimum: 2.5
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: July 15

Sky Is THE LIMIT Scholarship

Open to: Caribbean descent high school seniors
Majors: N/A
GPA Minimum: 2.5
Amount: $500
Deadline: July 15

Bridging the Dream Scholarship for Graduate School Students

Open to: Full-time and part-time graduate students
Majors: Any
GPA Minimum: 3.0
Amount: Up to $10,000 (20 Awards)
Deadline: July 17

Eastern Area Links Finish Line Scholarship

Open to: Full-time HBCU seniors at one of the following schools:
Bowie State University
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
Coppin State University
Delaware State University
Hampton University
Howard University
Lincoln University of Pennsylvania
Morgan State University
Norfolk State University
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
University of the District of Columbia
University of the Virgin Islands-St. Croix
University of the Virgin Islands-St. Thomas
University of Virginia Lynchburg
Virginia State University
Virginia Union University
Majors: Any
GPA Minimum: 2.5
Amount: Up to $1,500 (75 Awards)
Deadline: July 17

Guardians of the Wild Scholarship

Open to: Full-time and part-time HBCU graduate students
Majors: Include the following:
Agriculture (non-animal)
Conservation (terrestrial, wildlife, marine, freshwater)
Civil and environmental engineering
Environmental management,
Environmental law and justice
Plant, soil and/or atmospheric sciences
Public health (e.g., planetary health, one health, eco health)*
Urban planning and environmental policy
And related fields
GPA Minimum: 3.0
Amount: Up to $50,000 (14 Awards)
Deadline: July 17

Ivy Beauty Scholarship

Open to: HBCU full-time undergraduate students
Majors: Any
GPA Minimum: 3.0
Amount: Up to $4,100 (10 Awards)
Deadline: July 17

Keith R. Johnson Memorial Scholarship

Open to: HBCU full-time undergraduate students or at least part-time graduate/professional students
Majors: Any
GPA Minimum: 2.5
Amount: Up to $10,625 (4 Awards)
Deadline: July 17

Wells Fargo Access Scholarship

Open to: HBCU sophomores, juniors, and seniors
Majors: Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM)
GPA Minimum: 3.0
Amount: Up to $10,000 (50 Awards)
Deadline: July 17

S3G Advisors NextGen Scholarship

Open to: BIPOC undergraduate students who are 1st generation college students from the Midwest and attending a Midwest state school
Majors: Engineering, Computer Science, Physical & Applied Sciences, Mathematics, Business or Design
GPA Minimum: N/A
Amount: $2,500 1st Winner, $1,500 2nd Winner, and $1,000 3rd Winner
Deadline: July 20

Diversity in Law Scholarship Contest

Open to: Accepted to or currently enrolled students who identify as African American, Asian, Middle Eastern, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, American Indian, Native Alaskan, Hispanic or Latino and enrolled in an accredited law school or paralegal program as of the Fall
Majors: Legal or Law
GPA Minimum: None
Amount: $1,500
Deadline: July 25

Victorial Johnson Minority Women in STEM Scholarship

Open to: Female BICOP high school seniors and undergraduate students who reside in Kent County, MI
Majors: STEM
GPA Minimum: N/A
Amount: $500
Deadline: July 27

Maleiha Lei Lee Garcia Smith STEM Scholarship

Open to: California high school seniors or freshmen undergraduate students at San José State University, Sacramento State, or Cal State East Bay
Majors: All
GPA Minimum: None
Amount: $1,000 (5 Awards)
Deadline: July 29

Marie Jean Baptiste Memorial Scholarship

Open to: African American high school seniors and undergraduates
Majors: All
GPA Minimum: N/A
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: July 30

$25,000 “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship

Open to: High school, college, and graduate students
Majors: All
GPA Minimum: None
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: July 31

Annie Ibok Scholarship

Open to: Washington and California residents who will be incoming HBCU freshmen
Majors: STEM
GPA Minimum: 3.0
Amount: Varies
Deadline: July 31

Best Faith-Based Colleges No-Essay Scholarship

Open to: High school students
Majors: All
GPA Minimum: None
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: July 31

ESOF Academic Scholarship

Open to: African American HBCU undergraduates
Majors: All
GPA Minimum: 3.0
Amount: $500 (2 Awards)
Deadline: July 31

Intellia Therapeutics UNCF Scholarship Program

Open to: HBCU undergraduates
Majors: Life sciences which includes: Biochemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Biology, Chemistry, Chemical and Physical Biology, Cellular, Molecular, and Developmental Biology, Plant Biology Entomology and Microbiology
GPA Minimum: 2.75
Amount: $5,102
Deadline: July 31

Khalil Mack 52 Scholars Program

Open to: African-American high school seniors, undergraduate, or trade school students in Florida
Majors: All
GPA Minimum: 3.0
Amount: $5,200 (52 Awards)
Deadline: July 31

MetLife Foundation Legacy Endowed Scholarship

Open to: HBCU juniors who are the first in their family to attend a 4 year college or university
Majors: STEM, Business, Finance, or Accounting
GPA Minimum: 2.75
Amount: Varies
Deadline: July 31

Walter and Linnie Francis Memorial Scholarship

Open to: African American/Black high school seniors in the class of 2026 or 2027 who reside in Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, or Rhode Island
Majors: All
GPA Minimum: 2.5
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: July 31

Mentor Me Galore Scholarship

Open to: High school seniors, undergraduate students, medical students, and incoming medical students who are underrepresented minorities and are passionate about becoming physicians
Majors: Open
GPA Minimum: None
Amount: $1,000 (3 Awards)
Deadline: August 1

Richard Turner Jr. Musical Gifts Scholarship

Open to: African American students enrolled in a two or four-year degree program
Majors: Music
GPA Minimum: None
Amount: Up to $1,001 (3 Awards)
Deadline: August 1

Second Career in Nursing Scholarship

Open to: Black/African American students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in nursing who are at least twenty-one years old
Majors: Nursing
GPA Minimum: N/A
Amount: $500
Deadline: August 2

Linda Hicks Memorial Scholarship

Open to: Female African American undergraduate students
Majors: Social Services and/or Health and Human Services
GPA Minimum: None
Amount: $1,500
Deadline: August 7

Dr. Junior Gentles Memorial Scholarship

Open to: BICOP undergraduate students
Majors: Computer science or IT
GPA Minimum: None
Amount: $500
Deadline: August 9

Kenyada Me’Chon Thomas Legacy Scholarship

Open to: BICOP high school seniors
Majors: None
GPA Minimum: 2.5
Amount: $500 (2 Awards)
Deadline: August 10

Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr. Scholarship Program

Open to: HBCU students who reside in Boone County, Kentucky; Campbell County, Kentucky; Kenton County, Kentucky; Brown County, Ohio; Butler County, Ohio; Clermont County, Ohio; Hamilton County, Ohio; Warren County, Ohio; Dearborn County, Indiana; and Franklin County, Indiana
Majors: Education or STEM-related field
GPA Minimum: 3.0
Amount: $5,312.50 (Renewable)
Deadline: August 17

Project “Investing in the Black”: Future Community Leaders Scholarship

Open to: Michigan high school seniors and undergraduate students
Majors: Disciplines that contribute to understanding, creating opportunity, and positive outcomes, including economics, public policy, public health, education, business, urban planning, and social sciences
GPA Minimum: 3.5
Amount: $500
Deadline: August 17

AROC AI/ML Scholarship

Open to: African American High school or undergraduate students
Majors: STEM
GPA Minimum: None
Amount: $5,000
Deadline: August 27

The UNCF Travis Foundation Scholarship

Open to: HBCU students
Majors: Open
GPA Minimum: 2.5
Amount: Up to $6,294
Deadline: August 28

Teria Onwuaduegbo Black Women in STEM Scholarship

Open to: Undergraduate Black females
Majors: Computer Science, Mathematics, or Engineering
GPA Minimum: None
Amount: $1,083 (3 Awards)
Deadline: August 30

The Concrete Rose Foundation Scholarship

Open to: Female BICOP high school seniors and undergraduate students
Majors: All
GPA Minimum: 2.0
Amount: $500
Deadline: September 9

Christian ‘Myles’ Pratt Foundation Fine Arts Scholarship

Open to: Minority high school seniors and college students
Majors: Ceramics, Computer Animation, Game Design, Drawing, Animation, Graphic Design, Illustration, Painting, Sculpture, or any art-related field
GPA Minimum: None
Amount: $1,300
Deadline: September 11

Bishop Ron O. Beazer Sr. Scholarship

Open to: African American high school seniors who reside in Maryland
Majors: All
GPA Minimum: None
Amount: $500
Deadline: September 17

Applying to summer break scholarships for Black college students is a great way to make the most of the summer. Instead of waiting until the fall semester starts, use your summer break to search for scholarships, gather your documents, update your resume, and submit strong applications. This is your chance to get ahead while many students are taking a break from scholarship hunting.

Take time to choose two or three scholarships from this list that align closely with your background, major, or career goals. Give yourself enough time to write thoughtful essays and gather any required materials.

Remember, scholarship committees want to see genuine passion and clear goals, not perfection. Your unique story and experiences are valuable, so don’t hesitate to share them, and share this list with your friends who need money for college.

FAQs: Summer Break Scholarships for Black College Students

Are there scholarships specifically for Black college students?

Yes. Many organizations, foundations, professional associations, and community groups offer scholarships specifically for Black students. Some scholarships are based on academic achievement, while others focus on leadership, financial need, community service, career goals, or identity. The above post is all about summer break scholarships for black college students.

Can college students apply for scholarships during summer break?

Yes. Summer break is actually one of the best times to apply for scholarships because you may have more time to work on applications, write essays, request recommendation letters, and organize your scholarship materials before the school year gets busy again. The summer break scholarships for black college students listed in this article are great scholarships to apply for over summer break.

How many scholarships should I apply for over summer break?

Try to apply for as many scholarships as you realistically can without rushing through your applications. A good goal is to apply for a couple of scholarships each week during summer break, but the more quality applications you submit, the better your chances.

What documents do I need to apply for summer scholarships?

Most scholarship applications may ask for your transcript, resume, personal statement, essay, recommendation letter, proof of enrollment, or financial aid information. Every scholarship is different, so always read the requirements before applying.

Do I need a high GPA to win scholarships?

Not always. In the above summer break scholarships for black college students post, we have a variety of scholarships and most don’t require a high GPA. Some scholarship opportunities focus on financial need, leadership, community service, major, career interests, or personal experiences. Do not skip applying for scholarships just because you think your GPA is not perfect.

Where can Black college students find scholarships?

Black college students can find scholarships through college financial aid offices, HBCU websites, professional organizations, nonprofit groups, community foundations, sororities and fraternities, scholarship databases, and career-focused organizations. If you have applied to all the eligible summer break scholarships for black college students on our list, no worries, because we always post the best scholarships for minority students. You can sign up for out weekly newsletter, which is filled with the top scholarships and visit us weekly for more scholarship tips.

Can I apply for scholarships if I already receive financial aid?

Yes. In many cases, you can still apply for scholarships even if you already receive financial aid. However, you should check with your college’s financial aid office to understand how outside scholarships may affect your financial aid package.

What is the best way to stay organized when applying for scholarships?

Create a scholarship tracker with the scholarship name, deadline, eligibility requirements, award amount, application link, required documents, and submission status. This will help you avoid missing deadlines and keep your applications organized.