There are scholarships for Muslim students studying in the U.S. Muslim scholarships are funds beyond federal aid and may offset the cost of a college degree.
Some awards are for Muslim students pursuing a specific major. You could be studying finance, economics or math.
There are also general scholarships that support higher education, regardless of major. These may go to Muslim students who show a high level of financial need. There are also merit awards that go to students with high grades, talent or community service.
Muslim women may also find scholarships that they qualify for. Muslim scholarships may offset college expenses such as tuition, fees and expenses.
The Islamic Scholarship Fund provides merit based scholarships to active members of the Islam community. The award ranges between $2,000 to $10,000. Eligible applicants must be a full time undergrad junior/senior or graduate student. To apply, you must submit an application, essay, resume, school transcripts, letters of recommendation, video intro and work samples.
What are the Benefits of a College Scholarship for Islamic Students?
Scholarships for Muslim students are a good option to make college more affordable. There are several colleges, nonprofits and local organizations who may support a Muslim student’s college education.
Islam is the world’s second-largest religion after Christianity. According to Pew Research, Muslims are the fastest growing religious group in the world. There are also about 3.45 million Muslims of all ages in the U.S. That’s about 1.1% of the U.S. population.
When it comes to paying for college, Muslim students face a few challenges. One is the rising cost of college which is around $28,123 in 2018-2019 at four year public schools according to the NCES.
Another is that the financial concept of interest based loans (‘riba’ in Arabic) or usury is not allowed within basic Islamic teachings. As such, taking out a student loan is not an option for those who adhere to faith and tradition. However, Muslim scholarships are not student loans. You do not need to pay back a scholarship as long as you abide by the terms.
List of Muslim Scholarships
There are 32 awards worth $64K below. Apply now to our list of scholarships for Muslim students.