Since 1989, the American Indian College Fund has been advocating for Native students by offering a range of scholarships, providing resources to help students find and apply to schools and helping them navigate campus life once they’re there. Here, you’ll find scholarships, college prep assistance, student development opportunities, internship connections and student organizations designed specifically for Indigenous students.

In addition to advocacy, the American Indian Graduate Center offers Native students practical support for filling out college applications, finding financial aid opportunities, navigating school and tribal life and what to do once you’ve graduated. Scholarships and resources from the AIGC have already helped 16,000 students across all 50 states and more than 500 tribes.

The American Indian Higher Education Consortium governs, maintains and connects the 37 Tribal Colleges and Universities that are spread across 75 campuses, 17 states and 250 tribes. AIHEC gathers data on Native student populations, advocates for TCUs in the American college system and helps students get to college, stay in college and find work after college.

The National Indian Education Association works to boost the number of Indigenous students in higher education by researching solutions, advocating at the state and federal levels, holding national events and giving students connections to resources for college. On the site, you’ll find information on finding the right college for you, checklists to keep you on track and points of contact for state Native education offices.

Financial Aid for Indigenous Students

One of the biggest obstacles to going to college for any student is the price tag. That’s why it’s so important to start finding ways to pay as early as possible. The best place to start is by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This application takes into account your or your family’s income, assets and background to determine what free money you can get to make college more affordable. Check out our FAFSA Guide for more help in this area.

There are several types of financial aid you might qualify for and we’ll detail the common ones below. Refer to the U.S. Department of Education Federal Student Aid to see all of your options and to fill out the FAFSA.

Grants: Grants, like Federal Pell Grants, are typically need-based and don’t need to be paid back. Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans from the federal government provide up to $12,500 per year; these need to be paid back when you leave school but they typically boast relatively low interest rates.

Scholarships: Scholarships are both need and merit-based and do not need to be paid back. They are typically offered by non-profits, individuals, schools, city/community groups and private companies

Work-study programs: Work-study programs are typically federally- or state-funded jobs on campus or in community service that are given to students with financial need.

Documenting Your Status as a Native American

To qualify for some types of financial aid as a Native American student, you’ll need to be a member of a federally recognized tribe. The most commonly used document to prove this is the Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB), which is issued by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). There are several steps to getting a CDIB:

  • Determine the Requirements. Each tribe has separate prerequisites for being an officially recognized member, so you’ll want to check with the tribe for which you want to claim ancestry.

  • Trace Your Ancestry. There are several resources out there to help you research. Here’s a good place to start tracing your ancestry.

  • Complete the Application and Gather Required Documents. Most tribes have a form to fill out that will cover your family history and ask you to provide things like birth certificates, photographs and a Sworn Statement Affidavit (SSA).

Scholarships & Grants for Indigenous Students

There are plenty of grants and scholarships out there that you can use to fund your college education. CareerOneStop or FastWeb are great places to start your search.

It is important to remember that you are not limited to scholarships for Native students alone. There are over 1.8 million scholarships available to students in the United States that you could be eligible for, so your research shouldn’t end here. This being said, there are a few scholarship organizations we’d like to highlight that stand out for their dedication to Native student success.