 TITLE: Assistance Programs for Underserved Communities CONTENT: Higher Education\n----------------\nMany scholarship and grant programs focus on specific underserved groups, while some are open to a broader range of students who belong to groups that have been historically underrepresented at colleges and universities. In addition to financial assistance, you may receive coaching or mentorship during school and while looking for an internship or job.\nThere are hundreds (if not thousands) of opportunities available, including many at the school-specific level. Here are several to explore:\n*   **American Indian College Fund scholarships**: The American Indian College Fund has a scholarship for American Indian and Alaska Native undergraduate and graduate students who are attending accredited tribal, public and private nonprofit colleges or universities. The site also links to additional scholarship opportunities.\n*   **Asian Pacific Fund**: The Asian Pacific fund coordinates 10 scholarship programs for students with various ethnicities, career ambitions and backgrounds. Review the programs and their eligibility requirements, and know that you can apply for more than one as long as you meet the criteria.\n*   **Gates Millennium Scholars**: The Gates Millennium Scholars Program awards scholarships to 300 minority students each year. The program focuses on helping students who are in the top 10% of their class and have demonstrated leadership abilities.\n*   **Immigrants Rising**: Immigrants Rising has a pre-law fund for undocumented students who are planning to attend law school and want help paying for LSAT prep and law school application fees. Applicants must be undocumented and a California high school graduate or a graduate (or soon-to-be-graduate) of a California college or university to qualify.\n*   **NAACP scholarships**: The NAACP offers several scholarship programs to undergraduate and graduate students. The eligibility, number of awards and award amount varies for each program, and you may need to be a current NAACP member to qualify.\n*   **National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering**: NACME partners with schools and companies to offer scholarships to underrepresented undergraduates majoring in engineering and computer science.\n*   **TheDream.us**: This organization offers two scholarships for undocumented students. One is for high school and community college graduates, and the other is specifically for high school graduates who live in a state that doesn't offer them in-state tuition or admittance because of their citizenship status.\n*   **United Negro College Fund (UNCF)**: The UNCF is one of the largest private minority scholarship providers, awarding over $100 million to students each year. Check the website for a list of opportunities to see which are currently open.\nMany schools also have programs for eligible first-generation and low-income students that provide academic, personal and career support, along with additional financial assistance. These can go by different names, such as Educational Opportunity Programs at the University of California, California State University and State University of New York schools, or the First Generation Organization at the University of Florida. END