Scholarships for October at UNCF
UNCF offers national and regional scholarships and internship opportunities that close in October. Check out the scholarships and internships currently open for applications, and complete your application before the deadlines.
Remember: Complete all steps for the applications!
You will not be considered for a scholarship, internship or program until you submit all the information and essays the application requires.
2026-2027 Wyeth-Aryst/AHP Endowed
The Wyeth-Aryst/AHP Endowed Scholarship helps students in health-related fields bridge funding gaps so they can continue their education. This scholarship will be disbursed for the current 2026-2027 school year. Closes Oct. 1.
2026-2027 EESI Future Climate Leaders Scholarship Program
In partnership with UNCF, the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) will provide three merit-based scholarships to support students who are preparing for a career related to environmental, energy or climate issues. This scholarship opportunity is open to students who will be enrolled at an HBCU in the Mid-Atlantic or Southern region as a sophomore or junior in Fall 2026. Closes Oct. 1.
2026-2027 The Edward M. Nagel Endowed Scholarship
The Edward M. Nagel Endowed Scholarship awards promising students in business-related majors (i.e. accounting, economics, finance or human resources) with undergraduate scholarship awards up to $5,000. Closes Oct. 1.
2026-2027 Billye Suber Aaron Legacy Scholarship
The Billye Suber Aaron Legacy Scholarship provides a renewable, need-based scholarship to selected undergraduate full-time college students attending Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, Morehouse College and Texas College. Closes Oct. 5.
2026-2027 John W. Ruffin Endowed Scholarship
UNCF, in conjunction with The John W. Ruffin Family, provides scholarship awards for undergraduate or graduate full-time students attending Florida Memorial University or Nova Southeastern University’s H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business & Entrepreneurship. Closes Oct. 5.
2026-2027 June & Wylie Selden Memorial Endowment
In memory of June and Wylie Selden, eligible students will receive a need-based scholarship for the 2026-2027 school year. The scholarship is available to current undergraduate students who are enrolled at a UNCF-member institution. Closes Oct. 5.
2026-2027 Pearl S. Carter Endowment Fund
The Pearl S. Carter Endowment Fund provides up to $6,842 in need-based scholarships to students at a four-year accredited university who are pursuing nursing degrees. Applicants must be attending a UNCF-member institution, other accredited HBCU or any other accredited four-year institution. Closes Oct. 5.
2026-2027 Cynthia Piggott Harris Endowed Scholarship
The Cynthia Piggott Harris Endowed Scholarship will provide one-time, need-based financial assistance to students from New York, with primary preference given to students who are residents of New York City and secondary preference given to students who are residents of New York State. Closes Oct. 7.
2026-2027 Stephen K. Keiser STEM Scholarship
The Stephen K. Keiser STEM Scholarship is open to current college juniors or seniors majoring in STEM or STEM-related degree programs at a UNCF-member institution or accredited HBCU based in the U.S. Preference will be given to students enrolled at any accredited UNCF-member institution. Closes Oct. 7.
2026-2027 Liz Colantuono & Mark Sanz Endowment Scholarship
The Liz Colantuono & Mark Sanz Scholarship provides need-based scholarships to Native Americans or adult refugees or a child of adult refugees who are currently enrolled or have been accepted to a 4-year U.S.-based accredited institution. Preference is given to residents of Montana, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico or Idaho. Closes Oct. 9.
2026-2027 The Ruby L. Bailey Scholarship
The Ruby L. Bailey Program provides a need-based scholarship of $3,000 to students who are attending a UNCF-member institution or an accredited HBCU. Closes Oct. 14.
2026-2027 Richard F. Freeman Scholarship Fund
The Richard F. Freeman Scholarship Fund provides financial assistance for deserving students from Southeast Michigan. Eligible students must reside or be a permanent resident of the state of Michigan. Closes Oct. 15.
2026-2027 John Lennon Endowed Scholarship Program
The John Lennon Endowed Scholarship program was established by Yoko Ono in the memory of her late husband, the entertainer John Lennon, in partnership with UNCF. The scholarship program is designed to provide scholarship support to deserving students attending a UNCF-member institution. Closes Oct. 15.
2026-2027 Professor Emeritus John Edward Lillich Endowed Scholarship Program
The Professor Emeritus John Edward Lillich Scholarship provides need-based scholarships to students majoring in an engineering field. This scholarship is for students at any HBCU, with preference given to those at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Closes Oct. 15.
2026-2027 Dr. Joseph A. Towles African Study Abroad Scholarship
The Dr. Joseph A. Towles African Study Abroad Scholarship is designed to help students at UNCF-member institutions fund their study abroad experience in Africa for Spring 2027. Eligible students must be a full-time enrolled undergraduate student at any accredited UNCF-member institution, including fifth-years who are a graduate student or faculty member. Closes Oct. 16.
2026-2027 AXA Achievement Endowed Scholarship Fund
The AXA Achievement Endowed Scholarship Fund is a one-time $2,000 scholarship for college juniors and seniors. Eligible students must be majoring in business or a business-related major (i.e. business; management; marketing and related support services; accounting and finance; business administration; and general management). Closes Oct. 23.
2026-2027 NEESA Degree Completion Aid
NEESA Degree Completion Aid is designed to provide need-based, last-dollar gap scholarships for graduating college seniors facing barriers to college enrollment. Students may receive up to $2,500 for their senior year attendance. Closes Oct. 29.
2026-2027 Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Scholarship
To honor and commemorate the 2018 bicentennial of the birth of Frederick Douglass, a scholarship program was established in support of students attending accredited HBCUs. The program awards two $10,000 scholarships each year to exceptional HBCU seniors (one female and one male) who have demonstrated high academic achievement, strong leadership skills, commitment to community service and unmet financial need. Closes Oct. 29.
2026-2027 George Floyd Peace & Justice Memorial Scholarship
The George Floyd Peace & Justice Memorial Scholarship is open to graduating seniors who attend a UNCF-member institution or other HBCUs. Students must be enrolled in a four-year college during the 2026-2027 school year. Closes Oct. 29.
2026-2027 UNCF HBCU Educators Scholarship
The UNCF HBCU Educators Scholarship provides a renewable need-based scholarship for students classified as juniors during the 2026-2027 academic year who are majoring in an education discipline, attending a UNCF-member institution or any other four-year HBCU. Closes Oct. 29.
2026-2027 Joe Williams Music Scholarship Program
The Joe Williams Music Scholarship Program provides funding to students who are majoring in the study of music. Eligible students must be a college junior or senior with at least at 2.5 GPA. If the student is a freshmen or sophomore, they must have officially declared a major in a music-related discipline. Closes Oct. 30.
2026-2027 WXIA TV11 Community Service Scholarship
The WXIA TV11 Community Service Scholarship was established in partnership with UNCF and WXIA-TV, a television station licensed to Atlanta, GA, to provide need-based scholarships to students and to recognize those who exemplify outstanding achievement in community service during their high school years. Eligible students must be residents of Atlanta, first-year undergraduates at Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, Morehouse College or Morris Brown College. Eligible applicants must be majoring in English, communications, journalism or a related field. Closes Oct. 30.
2026-2027 Etta Gray Memorial Scholarship Program
In honor of the memory of Etta Gray, a loving caregiver for the William Hipp family, this scholarship was established to assist students who have a permanent residence in upstate South Carolina and who are pursuing a technical certification at a two- or four-year college or university in Upstate South Carolina. Eligible applicants will received a one-time $5,000 need-based scholarship award. Closes Oct. 30.
Visit UNCF.org/scholarships any time to see what’s open.