USDA 1890 Scholars Program
Scholarship Sponsored by United States Department of Agriculture
The USDA 1890 National Scholars Program was launched in 1992 with the objective of enhancing educational and career prospects for students hailing from rural or underserved regions across the nation. This initiative was born out of a collaboration between the USDA and the 1890 land-grant universities.
The program is overseen by the USDA’s Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE) and is designed to boost the number of students from rural and underserved areas studying food, agriculture, natural resource and other related sciences. The scholarship covers full tuition, fees, books, room and board for the recipients. Scholars are enrolled in one of the 1890 land-grant universities, where they pursue degrees in agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, or related academic disciplines. The scholarship may also offer work experience at USDA. This program is a key component of USDA’s Next Generation initiatives.
The following are the (19) 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
Fields of Study
USDA 1890 National Scholars are mandated to study in one of the following fields:
- Agriculture
- Agricultural Business/Management
- Agricultural Economics
- Agricultural Engineering/Mechanics
- Agricultural Production and Technology
- Agronomy or Crop Science
- Animal Sciences
- Botany
- Food Sciences/Technology
- Forestry and Related Sciences
- Home Economics/Nutrition
- Horticulture
- Natural Resources Management
- Soil Conservation/Soil Science
- Farm and Range Management
- Other related disciplines, (e.g. non-medical biological sciences, pre-veterinary medicine, computer science)
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for the USDA/1890 National Scholars Program scholarship, a student must meet the following requirements:
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale)
- Score a minimum of 21 on the ACT or 1080 on the SAT
- Be accepted for admission or currently enrolled in one of the nineteen 1890 Historically Black Land-Grant Universities.
- Study agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, or other related academic disciplines
- Show evidence of leadership and community service
- Provide an official transcript with the school seal and an authorized official's signature
- Submit a minimum of 2 reference letters
- Submit a completed application
Who is Eligible to Apply
The USDA 1890 National Scholars Program welcomes applications from high school seniors about to start their freshman year of college, as well as rising college sophomores and juniors.
Go to Scholarship Application