USDA 1890 National Scholars Program

The USDA 1890 National Scholars Program offers scholarships to U.S. citizens who are seeking a bachelor’s degree at one of the nation’s 1890 Historically Black Land-Grant Institutions in any field of study in agriculture, food, natural resource sciences or other related disciplines.

The USDA 1890 National Scholars Program is available to eligible high school seniors entering their freshman year of college as well as rising college sophomores and juniors. Young people around the country are invited to complete and submit their applications online through an e-application. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 1890 National Scholars Program application period has closed for the 25/26 Academic Year but we anticipate applications will be taken again in late 2025 or early 2026 for the 26/27 Academic Year.

General Eligibility

To be eligible for the USDA 1890 National Scholars Program scholarship, a student must:

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better (on a 4.0 scale)
• Have a minimum of 21 ACT, 1080 SAT scores
• Have been accepted for admission or currently attending one of the nineteen 1890 Land-Grant Universities.
• Study agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, or other related academic disciplines
• Demonstrate leadership and community service
• Submit an official transcript, from each high school and college attended, with the school seal and an authorized official’s signature
• Submit a 250-500 word essay for each of the following questions:
  • How will the USDA 1890 National Scholarship support your career aspirations? If there is a particular mission area within USDA that also supports your career aspirations, please indicate that mission area.
  • What factors have influenced your decision to pursue academic studies in agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, or a supporting discipline (such as economics, computer science, accounting, etc.)?

Benefits for USDA 1890 National Scholars Program recipients include:

• The scholarship provides recipients with full tuition, fees, books, room and board.
• Scholars attend one of the 1890 land-grant universities and pursue degrees in agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, or related academic disciplines.
• The scholarship may also include work experience at USDA. 

USDA 1890 National Scholars are required to study in the following or related disciplines.

• 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 Resource Management
• Soil Conservation/Soil Science
• Farm and Range Management
• Other related disciplines…