USDA 1890 Scholars Program

Scholarship Sponsored by United States Department of Agriculture

The USDA 1890 National Scholars Program, established in 1992, is a strategic initiative designed to enhance educational and career prospects for students hailing from rural or underserved communities across the United States. This program is a product of the collaborative efforts between the USDA and the 1890 land-grant universities.

The USDA's Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE) oversees the 1890 National Scholars Program. The primary objective of this program is to augment the number of students from rural and underserved communities who choose to study food, agriculture, natural resource, and other related sciences. The scholarship covers full tuition, fees, books, room and board for the recipients. Scholars are given the opportunity to 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 offer work experience at USDA. This program is a vital component of USDA’s Next Generation initiatives.

The 1890 Universities (19 in total) include:

• 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

Study Disciplines

USDA 1890 National Scholars are required to study in one of the following 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 Resources Management
• Soil Conservation/Soil Science
• Farm and Range Management
• Other related disciplines, (e.g. non-medical biological sciences, pre-veterinary medicine, computer science)

General Eligibility

To qualify for the USDA/1890 National Scholars Program scholarship, a student must meet the following criteria:

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale)
• Achieve a minimum of 21 ACT, 1080 SAT scores
• Be accepted for admission or currently attending one of the nineteen 1890 Historically Black Land-Grant Universities
• Study agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, or other related academic disciplines
• Demonstrate leadership and community service
• Submit an official transcript with the school seal and an authorized official's signature
• Provide at least 2 letters of reference
• Submit a completed application

Who Should Apply

The USDA 1890 National Scholars Program is open to high school seniors entering their freshman year of college, and rising college sophomores and juniors.