Scholarship opportunities are competitive-based and current as of February 7, 2024.
Get the scholarship help you need
Cherokee Nation Foundation offers a diverse range of scholarships to help reverse the trend of rising student debt. The annual application period opens November 1 and closes January 31. Award announcements are made each spring. Applications must be completed by the student and submitted before the deadline. Please be sure to review the Scholarship Policy for additional details.
Students may receive up to two CNF scholarships per academic year. This does not include opportunities offered by Cherokee Nation. All opportunities are reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens, unless otherwise noted in the description.
New scholarship opportunities announced Feb. 7 will close Feb. 29 and will be announced with the full list of awards in the spring.
Current Scholarship Opportunities
Anna Belle Mitchell Memorial Scholarship
Applicant must be an undergraduate, graduate student or community member currently pursuing pottery. Three pictures of artwork must be included with application for consideration. This is a one-year scholarship reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens.
Audie Baker Memorial Scholarship
Applicant must be an undergraduate or graduate student majoring in education with an emphasis on special education at Northeastern State University with a minimum 3.0 GPA. This is a one-year scholarship awarded in the fall semester, reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens.
Barbara Jean Dyer Scholarship
Applicant must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours, major in art and maintain a 2.0 GPA.
Bill Rabbit Legacy Art Scholarship
Applicant must be enrolled in an accredited, four-year, higher education institution pursuing a degree in fine arts or art education with a minimum 3.0 GPA. Accepted focuses include drawing, painting, sculpture, pottery, traditional beadwork and textiles. Three pictures of artwork must be included with application for consideration. This is a one-year scholarship reserved for Cherokee Nation and United Keetoowah Band citizens residing within the Cherokee Nation jurisdictional area.
Brent & Janees Taylor RSU Business
Scholarship
Applicant must be an undergraduate student majoring in business at Rogers State University with a minimum 2.5 GPA. This is a one-year scholarship awarded in the fall semester, reserved for a Cherokee Nation citizen residing in Rogers or Mayes County.
Champion At Large Scholarship
Applicant must be a current, full-time student or a graduating high school senior with a minimum 3.0 GPA. Must reside outside of the Cherokee Nation jurisdictional area and be accepted to a two-year or four-year higher education institution. This is a one-year scholarship reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens who do not qualify for the Cherokee Nation College Resource Undergraduate Scholarship.
Charles Alan Beauchamp Scholarship
Applicant must be an undergraduate student majoring in an approved environmental field with a minimum 3.0 GPA. Applicant must have completed different areas of volunteer service. This is a one-year scholarship reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens residing within the Cherokee Nation jurisdictional area.
Cherokee Nation Behavioral Health Scholarship
Applicant must be a full-time student with at least 60 credit hours pursuing a degree in a behavioral health field or a doctoral candidate enrolled in an accredited clinical psychology program and maintain a 3.0 GPA. Undergraduate recipients must demonstrate a likelihood of providing professional services within the Cherokee Nation Reservation, and graduate or doctoral recipients must be agreeable to a period of grant payback in service to the Cherokee Nation upon graduation and successful certification. Graduate or doctoral recipients must agree to a period of grant payback in service to the Cherokee Nation for a period that is equal to the number of scholarship years provided while pursuing the behavioral health degree. Such agreement shall be evidenced by a signed agreement for grant payback through service hours. Paid practicums will be available as determined by the review committee for eligible recipients enrolled in an accredited clinical psychology doctoral program.
Cherokee Nation Businesses Scholarship
Must be enrolled fulltime with a minimum of 12 hours in an accredited College or University and have a minimum of 48 hours completed and a minimum 3.0 GPA. Recipients must demonstrate a likelihood of providing professional services within the Cherokee Nation Businesses upon graduation and will receive priority review for consideration in the CNB Internship Program. Approved areas of study: Business, Accounting, Finance, Information Technology, Engineering, Human Resources, Marketing, Mass Communications, Museum Studies, Film Studies.
Cherokee Nation
Council Leadership Scholarship
This is a one-year scholarship reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens in each district as well as two at-large. Applicant must be a current, full-time student at a two- or four-year higher education institution, or a graduating high school senior accepted to a two- or four-year higher education institution with a minimum 3.0 GPA. This is a one-year, $5,000 award, with one award for a student residing within each Council district and two awards for students residing at-large.
Cherokee Nation
Deputy Principal Chief Leadership Scholarship
This award recognizes students who exemplify leadership qualities and an interest and desire to give back to the Cherokee people. Applicant must be a current, full-time student at a two- or four-year higher education institution, or a graduating high school senior accepted to a two- or four-year higher education institution with a minimum 3.0 GPA. This is a one-year, $5,000 award not limited by residence.
Cherokee Nation Foundation Scholarship
The Cherokee Nation Foundation scholarship is available to Cherokee Nation students who have attended one of CNF’s immersive preparatory programs (ACT Prep & College Prep Camp or CCPI) in the summer before their 11th or 12th grade year with a cumulative 3.5 GPA. The scholarship is eligible for renewal for up to four years and awarded upon high school graduation and enrollment in a higher education institution.
Cherokee Nation
Principal Chief Leadership Scholarship
This award recognizes students who exemplify leadership qualities and an interest and desire to give back to the Cherokee people. Applicant must be a current, full-time student at a two- or four-year higher education institution, or a graduating high school senior accepted to a two- or four-year higher education institution with a minimum 3.0 GPA. This is a one-year, $5,000 award not limited by residence.
Cherokee Nation/Tribal Council At-Large Scholarship
Applicant must be a current, full-time student or a graduating high school senior with a minimum 3.0 GPA. Must reside outside of the Cherokee Nation jurisdictional area and be accepted to a two-year or four-year higher education institution. This is a one-year scholarship reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens who do not qualify for the Cherokee Nation College Resource Undergraduate Scholarship.
Cherokee Phoenix
Continuing the Legacy Scholarship
Applicant must be a Cherokee Nation citizen with no residential restrictions and maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA. Must complete a 10-week paid internship with Cherokee Phoenix the summer after receiving the scholarship.
Clarkson Family Scholarship
Applicant must be a current full-time student or a graduating high school senior with a minimum 3.0 GPA, attending a college/university or higher education institution in New England (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island or Vermont). This is a one-year scholarship reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens.
Donald J. & Mary H. Matuszak Scholarship
Applicant must be an undergraduate or graduate student at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas, with a minimum 2.5 GPA. This is a one-time scholarship awarded in the fall semester, reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens.
Frankie Hargis Scholarship
Applicant must be a Cherokee Nation citizen who is a graduate of Stilwell High School with a minimum 3.0 GPA.
Gary, Ryan and Agalisiga Helping Hand Scholarship
Applicant must be a graduating high school senior with a minimum 2.0 GPA accepted to an accredited higher education institution. This is a four-year scholarship reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens residing within the Cherokee Nation jurisdictional area, with preference given to students from Washington or Mayes County seeking to be a first-generation undergraduate student.
Harold “Jiggs” Phillips Scholarship
Applicant must be a graduating high school senior from an Adair County high school (Cave Springs, Stilwell, Watts or Westville) with a minimum 2.5 GPA. Student must enroll in a higher education institution the semester immediately following receipt of award. This is a one-year scholarship reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens.
Indian Women’s Pocahontas Club Scholarship
Applicant must be a graduating high school senior or undergraduate student with a minimum 2.5 GPA. This is a one-year scholarship reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens.
Jack Forrest Scholarship
Applicant must be a citizen of the Cherokee Nation living within the boundaries of Cherokee Nation and attending a state-accredited, two- or four-year, higher education institution in the state of Oklahoma. Must be a member of a softball or baseball team with a minimum 3.0 GPA.
James R. Upton Memorial Scholarship
Applicant must be a graduating high school senior from Sequoyah High School in Tahlequah, OK, with a minimum 2.0 GPA. Student must enroll in a higher education institution the semester immediately following receipt of award. This is a one-year scholarship reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens.
Kenneth Comer Scholarship
Applicant must be a graduate student with a minimum 3.0 GPA majoring in psychology or counseling psychology who has the intent of becoming a licensed professional counselor or licensed drug and alcohol counselor. This is a one-year scholarship reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens attending an Oklahoma university of the student’s choice that has a counseling program.
Levi Otis Teague, Hazel L. Teague, & Jo Ann Teague Memorial Scholarship
Applicant must be a Cherokee Nation citizen and have completed high school courses at any of the Oklahoma School of Science and Math (OSSM) centers in the Cherokee Nation. Applicant must have 60 credit hours, maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA and live in the Cherokee Nation jurisdictional area. Preference given to those who have a plan on giving back to the citizens of the Cherokee Nation.
Margaret Raymond
Scholarship
Applicant must be a graduating high school senior from Sequoyah High School in Tahlequah, OK, and have a minimum 2.5 GPA. Student must enroll in a higher education institution the semester immediately following receipt of award. This is a one-time scholarship reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens.
Oklahoma State University/Cherokee Nation Foundation Scholarship
Applicant must be a current, full-time student or a graduating high school senior accepted to Oklahoma State University. This award is reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens and is renewable for up to five years. Student must maintain a 3.0 GPA, stay in good standing with the university and pursue only one degree. A letter of reference is required for consideration.
Pathology Laboratory Associates Scholarship
Applicant must be an undergraduate or graduate student majoring in a medical science field with a minimum 3.0 GPA. This is a one-year scholarship reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens residing within the Cherokee Nation jurisdictional area.
Peruzzi Family Scholarship
Applicant must be a graduating high school senior with a minimum 3.0 GPA and enroll full time in a four-year, higher education institution. This is a one-year scholarship reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens residing within the Cherokee Nation jurisdictional area.
Rudisill Scholarship
Applicant must be an undergraduate student with a minimum 3.0 GPA majoring in education and in their full internship. This is a one-year scholarship reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens residing within the Cherokee Nation jurisdictional area.
Senior Master Sergeant Texie C. Taylor, USAF Memorial Scholarship
Applicant must be a junior or senior undergraduate or graduate student majoring in physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, nursing (RN), engineering (aerospace, civil, chemical, electrical, mechanical) or mathematics with a minimum 3.0 GPA. This is a one-year scholarship reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens residing within the Cherokee Nation jurisdictional area.
Sequoyah High School Alumni Scholarship
Applicant must be a graduating high school senior from Sequoyah High School in Tahlequah, OK, and have a minimum 2.5 GPA. Student must enroll in a higher education institution the semester immediately following receipt of award. This is a one-year scholarship reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens.
Susan B. Agnew Leoser Scholarship
Applicant must be a graduating high school senior or undergraduate student with a minimum 2.0 GPA. This is a one-year scholarship reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens residing outside of the Cherokee Nation jurisdictional area and attending a junior college, community college or technical school. Preference is given to students who show a history of volunteer service.
Theresa & Brenda Walker Family Scholarship
Applicant must reside in the Cherokee Nation jurisdictional area, be a Sequoyah High School or Tahlequah High School alum, have a minimum 3.0 GPA, have 60+ hours of undergrad and major in a field of science.
University of Tulsa/Cherokee Nation Foundation Scholarship
Applicant must be an undergraduate student or a graduating high school senior accepted to the University of Tulsa. This award is reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens and is renewable for up to five years. Student must maintain a 3.0 GPA, stay in good standing with the university and pursue only one degree. A letter of reference is required for consideration.