The USDA/1890 National Scholars Program offers scholarships to U.S. citizens who are seeking a bachelor's degree at one of the seventeen 1890 Historically Black Land-Grant Institutions and Tuskegee University to study agriculture, food, or natural resource sciences and related majors. The program helps to strengthen the partnership between USDA and the 1890 institutions; helps to increase the number of students studying agriculture and related disciplines; and offers career opportunities at USDA.

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; Farm and Range Management; Fish, Game, or Wildlife Management; Food Sciences/Technology; Forestry and Related Sciences; Home Economics/Nutrition/Human Development; Horticulture; Natural Resources Management; Soil Conservation/Soil Science; and other related disciplines, (e.g., biological sciences, pre-veterinary medicine, computer science).

Thirty-six or more scholarships are awarded annually. At least 2 awards will be made to students at each of the seventeen 1890 Historically Black Land-Grant Institutions. Each award provides annual tuition, employment, employee benefits, use of a laptop computer, printer, and software while on scholarship, fees (lab and activity), books, and room & board for each of the 4 academic years. Each annual scholarship renewal is contingent upon satisfactory performance and normal progress toward the bachelor's degree. Upon completion of the scholar's academic degree program, there is an obligation of 1 year of service to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for each year of financial support.

For more information about the USDA National Scholars Program, contact:

USDA/1890 Programs
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20250 Mail Stop 9478
Telephone number: (202) 205-5692
Email Address: 1890init@usda.gov