It is important to celebrate your family’s heritage and culture. The good news is that many organizations want to celebrate this, too!  We rounded up seven different scholarships that want to honor cultural backgrounds and ethnicities. Prizes top out at $5,000. Find all the details on these scholarships below. 

DutchCrafters Amish Furniture Heritage Scholarship

How to Apply: Complete the application and submit an essay of 750 words or less on how you will draw upon your cultural heritage to shape your vocational aspirations, offer creative value to your future employer, and serve your community.
Eligibility: Must be a legal resident of the U.S. and a current or accepted full-time student at a 4-year accredited U.S. college with a minimum cumulative high school GPA of 3.0; must have completed the FAFSA
Amount: $500 to each of the three winning students
Deadline: May 1, 2025
Website: https://www.dutchcrafters.com/heritage-scholarship

SWNAF Scholarship

How to Apply: Complete the online application, including proof of tribal enrollment, your transcript, a recommendation letter, and a 2–5 page essay about your background, your personal and educational journeys, your future goals in education, and your plans for life after earning your degree.
Eligibility: Must be a college-bound high school senior and an enrolled member of a U.S. Federally Recognized American Indian Tribe or a lineal descendant
Amount: Varies
Deadline: May 1, 2025
Website: https://swnaf.org/apply-for-a-scholarship.html  

Michele L. Durant Scholarship

How to Apply: Complete the online application, and describe how you will make a difference in your community and the world at large in the future.
Eligibility: Must be a black or African American female student entering an undergraduate, graduate, or trade school program with at least a 2.5 GPA
Amount: Two winners will receive $1,000 each
Deadline: May 15, 2025
Website: https://bold.org/scholarships/michele-l-durant-scholarship/  

Friends of Hubbell Native American Scholarship

How to Apply: Write a one-page essay describing your educational and career goals and how they relate to the Navajo, Hopi, Acoma, Laguna, Zuni, or Southern Ute Nation, and include certificate of enrollment from your educational institution, a transcript, and your tribal enrollment certificate.
Eligibility: Must be enrolled in a four-year college, university, or graduate program with a minimum GPA of 3.0, and must be a member of the Navajo, Hopi, Acoma, Laguna, Zuni, or Southern Ute Nation
Amount: Up to $3,000
Deadline: June 10, 2025
Website: https://friendsofhubbell.org/scholarships/apply-for-scholarships/

Radhakrishnan-Nachiar Merit Scholarship

How to Apply: Complete the online application.
Eligibility: Must be a high school junior, senior, or undergraduate student of Indian descent who has at least a 3.5 GPA and will be a first-generation college student
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: July 26, 2025
Website: https://app.goingmerry.com/scholarships/radhakrishnan-nachiar-merit-scholarship/27272  

Michael J. Doyle Scholarship

How to Apply: Submit a current resume, your transcript, and an essay between 1,200 and 1,500 words on “What does your Irish Heritage mean to you?”
Eligibility: Must be a high school senior in good academic standing and related to a member of the Philadelphia Irish Society
Amount: $2,000
Deadline: August 5, 2025
Website: https://www.theirishsociety.com/scholarship  

Chasing Dreams Scholarship

How to Apply: Complete the online application, including an essay submission that addresses how your cultural background informs your educational journey and/or professional goals and how your graduate degree will help you make an impact in your field.
Eligibility: Open to international graduate students with Chinese citizenship admitted to, or enrolled in, a full-time degree program at a U.S. or Canadian school that MPOWER supports
Amount: Up to $5,000
Deadline: December 31, 2025
Website: https://www.iefa.org/scholarships/3688/Chasing_Dreams_Scholarship

Scholarships should be considered a small—yet still important—source of revenue for college. Data shows that most families pay for college using parent and student income, savings, and loans. Most scholarship recipients receive $2,500 or less, and only 0.1% of undergraduate students receive $25,000 or more in scholarship funds. In addition to looking for scholarships to help pay for college, families should apply for financial aid and consider saving in a dedicated college savings account.