Cherokee Nation Foundation Scholarships: A Comprehensive Guide to Eligibility and Application
The Cherokee Nation Foundation (CNF) strives to motivate and empower Cherokee Nation students to achieve their higher education goals by providing knowledge, skills, and financial resources essential for success. CNF offers a diverse range of competitive scholarships to help reverse the trend of rising student debt. The annual application period opens November 1 and closes January 31, with award announcements made each spring. Applications must be completed by the student and submitted before the deadline. Students may receive up to two CNF scholarships per academic year; this does not include opportunities offered by Cherokee Nation.
General Eligibility Requirements
While specific requirements may vary for each scholarship, some general criteria apply to most CNF scholarships. Additional requirements may be outlined in each scholarship description. It is important to read the policy in full to ensure all requirements and deadlines are met.
Here's a breakdown of the common eligibility standards:
- Citizenship: Most scholarships are reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens. Some scholarships may also include citizens of the United Keetoowah Band.
- Academic Standing: A minimum GPA is typically required, often 3.0 or higher. Some scholarships may accept a lower GPA, such as 2.5 or 2.0, depending on the specific criteria.
- Enrollment Status: Applicants must be current, full-time students at a two- or four-year higher education institution, or graduating high school seniors accepted to such an institution. Some scholarships may be available for part-time students or those attending vo-tech schools. Full-time enrollment generally requires a minimum of 12 credit hours.
- Geographic Restrictions: Some scholarships are reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens residing within the Cherokee Nation jurisdictional area, while others are specifically for those residing outside of it. Some scholarships may target students in specific counties or districts.
- Field of Study: Certain scholarships are designated for students pursuing specific fields of study, such as education, fine arts, business, environmental science, behavioral health, medical science, or fields related to Cherokee Nation Businesses (CNB).
- Institution Type: While most scholarships support attendance at accredited two- or four-year higher education institutions, some may be available for students attending junior colleges, community colleges, or technical schools. Unfortunately, CNF does not offer scholarships to trade schools or vo-techs.
- Other Requirements: Some scholarships may require applicants to have completed a certain number of credit hours (e.g., 60 credit hours). Some scholarships prioritize those who have a plan on giving back to the citizens of the Cherokee Nation.
Specific Scholarship Examples
To illustrate the diversity of CNF scholarship offerings, here are some examples with their specific requirements:
- General Scholarship: Available to Cherokee Nation citizens with no residential restrictions, requiring a cumulative 3.0 GPA.
- Scholarship for Students Outside the Cherokee Nation Jurisdictional Area: 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.
- Fine Arts 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 the 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.
- Business Scholarship at Rogers State University: 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.
- Environmental Field Scholarship: Applicant must be an undergraduate student majoring in an approved environmental field with a minimum 3.0 GPA.
- 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.
- CNB Internship Program 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. This is a one-year scholarship reserved for Cherokee Nation citizens in each district as well as two at-large.
- Leadership Scholarship: 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 award recognizes students who exemplify leadership qualities and an interest and desire to give back to the Cherokee people.
- College Prep Camp or CCPI Scholarship: The Cherokee Nation Foundation scholarship is available to Cherokee Nation students who have attended one of CNF’s immersive preparatory programs (College Prep Camp or CCPI) in the summer before their 11th or 12th grade year.
- New England 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).
- Kansas State University 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.
- Adair County High School 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.
- Oklahoma Higher Education 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.
- Sequoyah High School 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.
- OSSM Center 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.
- Information Technology Scholarship: Applicant must be a Cherokee Nation citizen living inside or outside the Cherokee Nation reservation. This scholarship is for general education with an emphasis on Information Technology and requires a minimum GPA of 2.0. It is for full-time students in undergraduate or graduate school or students going to vo-tech school.
- Oklahoma State University 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.
- Medical Science Scholarship: Applicant must be an undergraduate or graduate student majoring in a medical science field with a minimum 3.0 GPA.
- Education Internship 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.
- STEM 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.
- Junior College/Technical School 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.
- Science Scholarship for Sequoyah/Tahlequah High School Alumni: 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 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.
Application Essay Requirements
Several CNF scholarships require applicants to submit essays as part of their application. These essays provide an opportunity for students to share their personal stories, aspirations, and connection to the Cherokee Nation.
Read also: A Guide to Cherokee
Common essay prompts include:
- Describe your world: In 300 words or less, describe the world you come from - for example, your family, community, or school - and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.
- Personal Background: In 500 words or less, address your personal background information (yourself, family, school, and community). Please note if you speak the Cherokee language or if you know or are learning the Cherokee language and other Cherokee cultural skills. Explain your personal/family/social issues, obstacles, and strengths. Explain your financial need for higher education (one-parent household, foster care, low-income, any special circumstances).
- Desire to Serve: In 500 words or less, address your desire to pursue higher education, your chosen field of study, and how you plan to serve the Cherokee people when you complete your higher education. Please note if you speak the Cherokee language or if you know or are learning the Cherokee language and any other cultural skills. If you have any volunteer service experience, mention it here.
When writing these essays, it is important to be authentic, specific, and reflective. Share your unique experiences and demonstrate your commitment to the Cherokee Nation. An appropriate person to ask is someone who knows you very well and not a relative.
Application Process and Deadlines
The annual application period opens November 1 and closes January 31. To apply, students must complete the application through the Communities Foundation of Oklahoma online scholarship portal.
The application typically requires:
- A completed online application form
- Transcripts
- Proof of enrollment for the upcoming fall semester
- A signed acceptance agreement
- Essays (if required)
- Letters of recommendation (if required)
- Pictures of artwork (if applying for a fine arts scholarship)
After you complete the general application, the online system will match you to all the recommended opportunities available to you. You will then apply for each opportunity and answer any additional questions. Yes, you can apply for all the recommended opportunities on your account.
Read also: College of Menominee Nation
Scholarship Disbursement and Renewal
CNF scholarship payments will be made directly to a student’s university account, unless otherwise indicated. Scholarship payments will be paid per semester upon verification of enrollment and completion of all requirements. CNF scholarships cannot be used for summer enrollment.
Some scholarships are renewable for up to four or five years, provided that the student maintains eligibility requirements, such as:
- Ensure all records are updated and accurate in accordance with CNF application deadlines each year.
- Maintain any GPA requirements specified in the scholarship award.
- Remain in good standing with the university and be enrolled full time.
- Sign the scholarship acceptance agreement each year.
To maintain eligibility for a CNF scholarship, students must meet the minimum GPA designated by their specific scholarship and be in good standing with the school they attend. If an enrolled student does not meet the requirements, they will be placed on CNF academic probation for one semester. Students can still receive a scholarship while on CNF academic probation, so long as they meet all other requirements.
Scholarship awards may change annually. The award amounts vary year to year. The number of applicants vary each year. The exact date of notification varies, but we do our best to notify as soon as possible in the spring.
Additional Information
Students are required to notify CNF before payments are made to the university. CNF scholarship payments may be delayed at the student’s request for academic or personal reasons for up to one academic year. Examples include, but are not limited to, study abroad, military service, internships, medical or family emergencies, etc. If scholarship recipients plan to do an internship- a letter must be submitted to the Executive Director and include proof of internship from the entity, with their signature and internship dates.
Read also: Fox Nation Eligibility for Students
Yes, you can still apply for CNF scholarships if you are receiving funding from CNCR and other organizations.
To file an appeal, students must contact CNF Executive Director Janice Randall.
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