Section three
Opportunities & Support
Scholarships and mentorship exist for Indigenous students in the health professions. This section gathers those opportunities in one place so our students can find them, take advantage of them, and pursue their goals.
Scholarships for Native students
Apply to several. These are not mutually exclusive, and students routinely stack them. Start with your own tribe, then work outward.
Indian Health Service Scholarship Program
There are three tiers of this scholarship. The Health Professions Preparatory Scholarship is for students still completing prerequisite or preparatory coursework before they can be admitted to a health professions program. For 2026–2027 IHS lists only pre-nursing as eligible. The Pre-Graduate Scholarship is for students already enrolled in a bachelor's degree that feeds a professional program, such as pre-medicine or pre-dentistry. The Health Professions Scholarship covers tuition and fees plus a monthly stipend for students already in a health professions program, in exchange for service at an IHS or tribal facility after graduation.
Cobell Scholarship
Funds Native American students in undergraduate, graduate, vocational, and fellowship study. Created from the Cobell settlement, and one of the largest sources of need- and merit-based aid available to Native students. Undergraduate and graduate applications typically open in winter with a spring deadline; vocational applications run year-round.
Native Forward Scholars Fund
The largest scholarship provider for Native students in the country. Administers many programs across undergraduate, graduate, and professional study, including awards specifically for health professions students. Their Scholarship Finder is a great tool for discovering awards.
American Indian College Fund — American Indian Scholars Program
Awards roughly 6,000 scholarships each year to American Indian and Alaska Native undergraduate and graduate students. One application puts you in consideration for many awards. Applications generally open in spring for the following academic year.
BIA Higher Education Grant & your tribe's education department
The least publicized and most overlooked money available. The Bureau of Indian Affairs funds higher education grants, and nearly every tribe runs its own higher education department with scholarships for its citizens. Call your tribe's education office directly — these awards are often less competitive than national ones simply because fewer people apply.
Chief Manuelito Scholarship — Navajo Nation
A merit scholarship of $7,000 per year for enrolled members of the Navajo Nation, administered by the Office of Navajo Nation Scholarship and Financial Assistance. Requires a Certificate of Indian Blood showing one-quarter or more Navajo blood, and completion of Navajo Language and Navajo Government coursework before high school graduation — online options exist if your school does not offer them. Recipients maintain a 3.0 GPA and 12+ credit hours per term.
Cherokee Nation Foundation Scholarships
Scholarships for Cherokee Nation citizens across many fields. The Nation has also recently committed substantial new funding specifically to health careers, including a Public Health and Wellness Merit Scholarship for students pursuing health services, public health, and behavioral health degrees who intend to work for the tribe after graduating. Worth checking both the Foundation and Cherokee Nation Education Services.
Hawai'i Community Foundation
Administers more than 300 scholarship funds, a number of them specifically benefiting Native Hawaiian students, covering both four-year degrees and career and technical education at community colleges. One application portal searches across the whole catalog.
Udall Undergraduate Scholarship
Up to $7,500 toward junior or senior year for students committed to careers in health care or Tribal public policy. Open to enrolled members of federally recognized tribes, with a separate track for students in environmental fields. Applications go through your school's faculty representative, so start with your fellowships office — you cannot apply directly.
Major national scholarships
These are not Native-specific, but they are among the largest awards in the country and Native students are strongly encouraged to apply. Most are for high school seniors and are need-based. Deadlines cluster in the fall of senior year.
The Gates Scholarship
A full ride for 300 outstanding minority high school seniors from low-income households each year, covering the full cost of attendance that is not already met by other financial aid — tuition, fees, room, board, books, and transportation.
QuestBridge — National College Match
Matches high-achieving students from households generally under about $65,000 a year with full four-year scholarships at some of the country's most selective colleges. You apply once, free, and are considered for early admission plus the scholarship at your ranked partner colleges.
Coca-Cola Scholars Program
A $20,000 award for 150 high school seniors chosen each year from more than 100,000 applicants. Open to seniors with at least a 3.0 GPA heading to an accredited U.S. institution.
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation College Scholarship
Up to $55,000 per year for as many as four years, plus advising and a support network that continues through college. For high school seniors with financial need, a minimum 3.5 GPA, and strong test scores.
Harry S. Truman Scholarship
Up to $30,000 toward graduate study for juniors planning careers in public service, including public health and health policy. Requires U.S. citizenship, junior-level standing, and a campus nomination — campus deadlines fall months before the national one. Scholars commit to three years of public service work within seven years of finishing the funded degree.
Programs for high school students
If you are still in high school, these are great opportunities to expand your knowledge and network.
Indigenous Health Career Collaborative
A weekly virtual program built to support Native high school students interested in health careers, with career panels, college panels, health lessons, and mentorship. It also keeps a collected hub of resources, such as programs, funding, and guidance gathered in one place. It is primarily for high school students, but medical students can get involved by serving as mentors.
College Horizons
A five-day program about college admissions and financial aid for Native high school sophomores and juniors, held each summer on a university campus. Students work directly with college counselors and admissions officers on essays, applications, and aid. Tuition, room, and board are all covered.
LEDA Scholars Program
A highly selective, fully funded leadership and college-admissions program for high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds, including a summer institute at Princeton and years of continuing support. Expects roughly a 3.7 unweighted GPA, top-10% class rank, and family income under 200% of the federal poverty guidelines.
Native Explorers Program
A hands-on science program run through Oklahoma State University's Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa, built around anatomy and vertebrate paleontology. Students work in the field and the lab, learning the scientific method alongside traditional ways of knowing.
Pre-health pathway programs
Structured programs built specifically to get Native students into and through health professions school.
Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP)
A free national summer program for college freshmen and sophomores interested in the health professions. Housing, meals, and a stipend are typically covered. If you are in your first two years of college and only do one thing from this page, apply to this.
AIAHPP — American Indians Accessing Health Professions Program
A free AAIP program for American Indian and Alaska Native students at undergraduate, community, and tribal colleges. Covers different health careers, the admissions process for health professions schools, financial aid, and research opportunities, with problem-based learning and hands-on clinical simulations.
Mayo Clinic Native American Pathway Program
A five-week virtual summer program offering coaching for medical school readiness, career exploration, an introduction to scientific research, and remote clinical observation. The curriculum is built on culturally resonant practices with attention to identity, resilience, and well-being.
Wy'east Medicine Pathway
A tuition-free, 10-month post-baccalaureate program for American Indian and Alaska Native learners preparing for medical school, running mid-September through early June. Culturally rooted specifically for AI/AN students, it prepares you for both the academic content and the spaces you will be navigating in medical school. One of the strongest options for a student whose application needs strengthening.
INMED — American Indians into Medicine
A federal grant program supporting universities to enroll and support AI/AN students in health careers. Provides tutoring, career counseling, help with scholarship and financial aid applications, summer educational sessions, and travel grants to health conferences. Current grantee institutions include the University of Alaska Anchorage, the University of New Mexico, the University of North Dakota, and the University of Wisconsin.
AAIP Pre-Admission Workshop
Brings AAIP member physicians together with AI/AN college students, public health professionals, and university admissions staff to give students the information and skills needed to get through health professions school admissions. Practical, direct, and run by people who have been where you are. AAIP also runs additional programs for college students and a National Youth Summit.
M-PATH
Medicine Pathways for Advancing Tribal Healthcare supports eight college students interested in Indigenous health disparities on the path to becoming physicians, with mentorship and clinical shadowing. Travel, lodging, and food are covered for the three-week summer enrichment portion in Boston.
OSU Office of American Indians in Medicine and Science
Runs four pathway programs built with Tribal partners, Indian Health Service, and OSU-CHS Centers of Excellence to increase the number of American Indian and Alaska Native students entering the health professions and biomedical science careers. Includes the Native Explorers Program listed above.
Organizations & conferences
Find your people early. Membership, conferences, and mentorship from these groups will carry you further than any single application. Several offer student rates and travel scholarships.
Association of American Indian Physicians (AAIP)
The central professional organization for Native physicians, and the connective tissue across much of this page. Three of the five leaders featured in Stories & Voices have served as its President.
American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)
Large network for Native students in STEM, with chapters at many universities, a substantial national conference, and its own scholarships. Strong for students on research and laboratory paths, and a reliable place to meet graduate program recruiters.
SACNAS
Advances Chicano/Hispanic and Native American scientists from college through career. Their national conference is one of the best places for an undergraduate to present research for the first time.
National Tribal Health Conference (NIHB)
A week-long national gathering on tribal health, behavioral health, and public health, run by the National Indian Health Board. NIHB has offered scholarships for youth and elders from federally recognized tribes to attend, covering flights, hotel, registration, and a daily per diem.
UNITY — United National Indian Tribal Youth
A national Native youth leadership organization behind the 25 Under 25 award, with regional gatherings, youth councils, and a yearly national conference. A good first national network for a high school student.
Center for Native American Youth
A national advocacy and resource organization for Native youth, with a Youth Advisory Board, policy work, and a steady stream of opportunity listings.
Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health
Research and programs grounded in tribal partnership, including the Native Vision youth program. A good place to look for internships and public health research experience.
Udall Foundation
Offers the Udall Undergraduate Scholarship for students committed to tribal public policy or Native health care, and a Native American Congressional Internship placing students in Washington, D.C. The health care track is explicitly for students pursuing careers serving Native communities.
After graduation
Worth knowing about now, because it changes how much debt you can reasonably take on.
IHS Loan Repayment Program
IHS repays a substantial share of qualifying student loans for health professionals who commit to a two-year service obligation at an Indian health program facility, with the option to extend until the balance is gone. For many graduates this is the difference between a manageable debt load and an unmanageable one.
Program details, award amounts, and eligibility rules change year to year. Everything here was checked against each program's own materials, but always confirm on the program's site before you apply. If you know of an opportunity that belongs on this page, tell us.
Know a resource we are missing?
Indigenius is a living project. If you know of a scholarship, program, or leader who belongs on this site, we want to hear about it.