USDA 1890 National Scholars Program

College. Paid for.

Get full tuition, paid summer internship, employee benefits, fees, books, and room and board

Career. Launched.

In 2023, the USDA awarded one hundred 1890 scholarships.

Become an 1890 National Scholar Today

Convert your summer internship position into a permanent career with the USDA.

The USDA 1890 National Scholars Program pays you to complete your bachelor's degree in agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, and related disciplines and prepares you for a career of service. If you are currently enrolled at or accepted to one of the nineteen historically Black universities that were established under the Second Morrill Act of 1890 (list below), you may apply to become a National Scholar. In 2023, the USDA awarded one hundred 1890 scholarships. If selected, you will work as a paid intern for the USDA during the summer, and you must commit to at least one year of service with the USDA for each year of financial assistance provided.

Benefits

Get full tuition, paid summer internship, employee benefits, fees, books, and room and board each year for up to 4 years while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in agriculture, food science, natural resource science, or a related academic discipline at one of 19 designated 1890s Land-Grant universities and Tuskegee University.
Once you complete your degree, you’ll be eligible to convert your summer internship position into a permanent career with the USDA.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the USDA/1890 National Scholars Program scholarship, you should:

Be a high school senior entering your first year of college or a college sophomore or junior college student.
Be a U.S. citizen
Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better (on a 4.0 scale)
Have applied to, been accepted to, or currently attending one of the nineteen 1890 Historically Black Land-Grant Universities.
Study agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, or other related academic disciplines (list below)
Demonstrate leadership and community service
Submit an official transcript with the school seal and an authorized official's signature
Submit a signed application (original signature only)
Have minimum 21 ACT, 1080 SAT scores

1890 Universities:

Alabama A&M University
Alcorn State University, Mississippi
Central State University, Ohio
Delaware State University
Florida A&M University
Fort Valley State University, Georgia
Kentucky State University
Langston University, Oklahoma
Lincoln University, Missouri
North Carolina A&T State University
Prairie View A&M University, Texas
South Carolina State University
Southern University, Louisiana
Tennessee State University
Tuskegee University, Alabama
University of Arkansas Pine Bluff
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
Virginia State University
West Virginia State University

Study Disciplines:

USDA 1890 National Scholars are required to study one of the following disciplines:

Farm and Range Management
Other related disciplines such as non-medical biological sciences, pre-veterinary medicine, computer science
Forestry and Related Sciences
Home Economics/Nutrition
Horticulture
Natural Resources Management
Soil Conservation/Soil Science
Agricultural Production and Technology
Agronomy or Crop Science
Animal Sciences
Botany
Food Sciences/Technology
Agriculture
Agricultural Business/Management
Agricultural Economics
Agricultural Engineering/Mechanics

Details

You may renew the scholarship each year, contingent upon satisfactory academic performance and normal progress toward the bachelor’s degree.
You must commit to at least one year of service with the USDA for each year of financial assistance provided once you complete your degree.

group of African American students stand and hold right hand up — Photo Credit: USDA

How to Apply

Applications for the 2024 school year closed March 1, 2024. Check back for more updates during later this year.

Sign up to receive updates on the next 1890 National Scholars Program application opening, along with information about other higher education opportunities for minority students.