We list 3 verified scholarships for Black students with January deadlines. Award amounts vary by program. None of these currently have a fixed open deadline; each runs on a recurring annual cycle.
None of these imposes a formal race requirement, though 3 are run by organisations whose stated mission is serving Black students. No listing in this group publishes a GPA minimum. 1 is renewable for more than one year.
Every listing below links to the sponsor's official page and shows the date we last checked it. We do not take a cut of any award and we never charge students.
Compare these scholarships
| Scholarship | Sponsor | Award | Deadline | Min GPA | Who can apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship | Jackie Robinson Foundation | Varies; four-year award plus mentoring and leadership programming | Annually, early January | None stated | Minority-focused · National |
| Thurgood Marshall College Fund Scholarships | Thurgood Marshall College Fund | Varies by program | Rolling; individual scholarships open and close throughout the year | None stated | Minority-focused · National |
| UNCF Scholarships | United Negro College Fund (UNCF) | Varies by program | Rolling; individual programs open and close throughout the year | None stated | Minority-focused · National |
All 3 listings
Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship
Jackie Robinson Foundation
The Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship supports graduating high school seniors who show academic excellence, leadership potential, financial need, and a dedication to community service. Scholars receive four years of financial support alongside mentoring and leadership development programming. Applicants do not need to be athletes and may attend any accredited, JRF-approved four-year institution. The most recent cycle closed January 7, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. EST.
Thurgood Marshall College Fund Scholarships
Thurgood Marshall College Fund
The Thurgood Marshall College Fund supports students at publicly-supported HBCUs and predominantly Black institutions. TMCF has awarded more than $500 million in scholarships and career readiness programming, including over $20 million in the 2023-2024 academic year across more than 2,000 students. Its awards fall into three types: Gap Completion Scholarships for students with urgent financial need, Access Scholarships covering tuition, fees and on-campus housing, and Programmatic Scholarships covering tuition, fees and on-campus room and board. Students apply by creating a profile in the TMCF scholarship portal, which then matches them to the awards they qualify for.
UNCF Scholarships
United Negro College Fund (UNCF)
UNCF is the largest private scholarship provider to minority students in the United States, awarding more than $62 million each year to students attending more than 600 schools. Rather than a single award, UNCF operates a portal of hundreds of named programs with their own deadlines and criteria, including the Fund II Foundation UNCF STEM Scholars Program, the UNCF/Koch Scholars Program, and the Frederick Douglass Bicentennial Scholarship Program. Students create one profile and are matched to the scholarships they qualify for, so the practical advice is to register early and check the portal monthly as new awards open throughout the year.
Frequently asked questions
What scholarships for Black students with January deadlines are available right now?
We list 3 verified scholarships for Black students with January deadlines. None currently has a fixed open deadline. Each runs on a recurring annual cycle, and every listing below records the month its cycle usually closes plus what the sponsor has said about the next round.
Are these scholarships for Black students with January deadlines only for Black students?
Not formally. None of these 3 listings imposes a race requirement in its published criteria, but 3 are run by organisations whose stated mission is serving Black or minority students, so Black applicants are squarely who they exist for. The distinction matters because it determines whether you are eligible on paper, and we label every listing accordingly.
How do you check that these listings are accurate?
Every listing is read off the sponsor's own page before it goes live, and each one records the date it was last checked plus a note saying what was confirmed. Anything a sponsor does not publish, such as an award amount or a GPA floor, is left blank rather than guessed. Listings we cannot verify are held back rather than published.
When should I start a January scholarship application?
Give yourself at least four weeks before a January deadline. Recommendation letters are the usual bottleneck, because teachers and counsellors need two to three weeks' notice and are handling many requests at once. Transcripts can take a week to be issued. Essays benefit from being written, left alone for several days, then edited with fresh eyes.