Association on American Indian Affairs (AAIA) Scholarships

Name: Association on American Indian Affairs Scholarships

Award Amount: Varies per recipient

Information and Eligibility:
The Association on American Indian Affairs (AAIA) offers scholarships to Native American students who are enrolled members of a tribal nation—federally recognized or not—from the continental U.S. or Alaska. These awards support students enrolled full-time in post-secondary education seeking an associate’s degree or higher (certificate programs are not eligible). The program emphasizes academic merit, tribal connection, and intent to use one’s education for the benefit of one’s Tribal Nation or Indian Country.

Eligibility criteria include:

• Tribal Enrollment: Applicant must be a citizen or member of their Tribal Nation and provide tribal enrollment documentation (no minimum blood-quantum required).
• Academic Level: Full-time student enrolled in an accredited institution seeking an associate’s degree or higher (graduate programs eligible). Certificate and seminary programs are not funded.
• GPA: Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.

Application Requirements:

• Completed scholarship application form provided by AAIA.
• Official or unofficial transcript showing current academic status and GPA.
• Class schedule verifying full-time enrollment.
• Tribal enrollment documentation (Tribal ID card or official letter from Tribe).
• Essays demonstrating the applicant’s connection to their Tribal Nation and how their education will serve Indian Country.

Selection Criteria:

• Academic preparedness and achievement.
• Demonstrated commitment to Tribal nation or Indian Country through education or service.
• Quality of application materials including essays and documentation of tribal connection.

Additional Details:

• AAIA has been providing scholarships since 1947 and has partnerships (such as with the American Indian College Fund) to streamline application and administration of awards.
• The number of awards and individual amounts vary annually based on available funding and applicant pool.

Deadline:

• May

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