The Bureau of Indian Affairs offers grants and scholarships to Native Americans through its Bureau of Indian Education. Usually this type of aid is considered supplemental -- it's awarded only if financial need still exists after other federal aid is applied. Certain states also make education funds available to Native Americans. Montana, New Mexico and North Dakota offer fee waivers, room and board, and sometimes tuition to Native Americans who enroll in state-funded universities.
The American Indian College Fund has scholarship programs for Native American students attending Indian Nation universities. Over 30 tribal colleges serve more than 30,000 students from over 250 tribes in North America. Every year, the Indian Resource Development department at New Mexico State University publishes a booklet titled "Sources of Financial Aid Available to American Indian Students" (see Resources). It lists tribal scholarships available by nation.
Some charities, such as the American Indian Graduate Center and the Association on American Indian Affairs, partner with corporations, professional organizations and individual donors to offer scholarships and fellowships to Native American students. Native Americans can also take advantage of scholarship opportunities for minorities, such as the Gates Millennium Scholars Program funded by the Gates Foundation, which annually selects 1,000 minority students to receive a good-through-graduation scholarship to the school of their choice.
Extra financial assistance opportunities are available to Native Americans who undertake studies in specific fields. The American Indian Science and Engineering Society awards scholarships to Native American students pursuing careers in engineering, science and related fields. The Indian Health Service awards scholarships to students majoring in health disciplines. Its mission is "to raise the physical, mental, social and spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska natives to the highest level."