Catawba Indian Nation Scholarship Program (Tribal Trust Fund Account)
New scholarship application deadline
March 15th, 2025 5:00 PM EST
Nation citizens enrolling or enrolled in degree programs at accredited colleges and universities are encouraged to apply for tuition assistance.
Students must apply (re-apply) each school year. Applications are detailed and specific – a complete application includes all the required/requested documents and information. Applications submitted without all of the required/requested documents and information will be marked "incomplete" and will not be considered. (Detailed eligibility requirements are listed on the CIN-Scholarship website.)
Applications must be submitted each school year by March 15th for the upcoming school year no matter which term(s) you plan to attend (Fall, Winter, or Spring terms). Incomplete or late applications are not accepted. There is only one (1) deadline for the entire school year.
Applications for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year are now available. Paper applications will not be accepted. The deadline for applications is March 15, 2025.
Click here to visit the CIN Scholarship Website and begin your application.
Please contact Maddison Moore or Michael Guidry with any questions. They can be reached at 803-616-9305ext or Maddison.Montgomery@catawba.com and 839-214-8325ext or Michael.Guidry@catawba.com.
Other scholarships available to Native American students
Catawba College Scholarship
The Catawba Nation holds a partnership with Catawba College, located in Salisbury, NC. This partnership includes one full academic scholarship (not including room and board or books) for a single tribal student to use during their tenure at Catawba College. One scholarship is given to one student each academic year, and it is granted on a first-come, first-serve basis. For more information, contact michael.guidry@catawba.com.
USET Scholarship
The Catawba Indian Nation is a member of United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc. (USET). That makes all Catawba Nation citizens eligible to apply for one of their scholarships. Here is some information about their scholarship program.
What: The United South and Eastern Tribes provides supplemental scholarships in the amount of $500 to Indian students in the USET service area.
Who: Supplemental monies are awarded to USET area Indian students who are enrolled members of one of the twenty-six USET member Tribes.
How: Applications are reviewed according to the following criteria:
1. demonstrated need for financial assistance;
2. satisfactory scholastic standing; and
3. current enrollment or acceptance in a post-secondary educational institution
When:Application Details
Native Forward Scholars Fund
Native Forward (formerly American Indian Graduate Center) empowers over 20,000 students from over 500 tribes in all 50 states by providing scholarship dollars and support for services for undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees. Browse the scholarship opportunities that best fit you or your student at the following link: www.NativeForward.org
Graduate Fellowships for Native Americans to become School Principals
Penn State's College of Education has received funding in excess of $960,000 to offer new graduate fellowships to American Indian and Alaska Native students who are interested in becoming school principals.
The initiative, titled Principals for Student Success (PSS), allows participants to earn a master's degree in Educational Leadership with principalship certification. The primary purpose is to prepare American Indian and Alaska Natives, over a four-year period, to be effective school principals in schools that serve significant numbers of Indian students.
Participants will be recruited nationally. Fellows will spend two years on Penn State's University Park campus to complete degree and certification requirements, followed by a year of induction services in the field.
The fellowships are affiliated with Penn State’s nationally recognized American Indian Leadership Program (AILP), under the direction of John Tippeconnic, professor of educational leadership. Susan Faircloth, assistant professor of educational leadership, will serve as co-director of the project. The AILP will collaborate with Haskell Indian Nations University, Lawrence, Kan., in the recruitment, induction, and placement of the fellows.
Leadership development is a constant focus of the program. In addition to taking course work, fellows will attend seminars and participate in internships that prepare them to be highly effective school principals. Induction activities during the fourth year are designed to give the fellows a successful transition from the Penn State academic program to principalship roles.
The fellowship program is funded by the Office of Indian Education, an office of the U.S. Department of Education.
For more information, contact Dr. John Tippeconnic, American Indian Leadership Program, Suite 300 Rackley Building, University Park, Pa. 16802 (phone (814) 863-1626; e-mail jwt7@psu.edu or Dr. Susan Faircloth at (814) 863-3775; e-mail scf2@psu.edu.
Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs)
TCUs were created in response to the higher education needs of American Indians and generally serve geographically isolated populations that have no other means accessing education beyond the high school level. TCUs have become increasingly important to educational opportunity for American Indian students and are unique institutions that combine personal attention with cultural relevance to encourage American Indians, especially those living on reservations, to overcome the barriers they face to higher education. For more information, please visit the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) website.
Truman D. Picard Scholarship For Native American/Alaskan Natural Resource Students
The Truman D. Picard Scholarship Program is dedicated to the support of Native American students pursuing a higher education in Natural Resources. For details on scholarship amounts and application requirements, visit their website here:
www.Itcnet.org
South Carolina Indian Development Council Scholarship
The South Carolina Indian Development Council offers scholarship funding to both state and federally recognized tribal citizens who possess either a GED or high school diploma and plan to attend a college, university, or professional certification course within the state of South Carolina. The maximum funding for a full-time student’s school year is $5,000. There is no GPA requirement for this scholarship, though you will need to submit all documents required by the application guidelines. This scholarship may be applied toward any degree or vocational certification. The application is available year-round and does not have a deadline. Scholarship funding is limited and granted on a first-come, first-served basis. For application guidelines and information, contact Evie Hatfield at: scidci@comporium.net