Cobell Scholarship
Offered by Indigenous Education, Inc. · Free to apply
The Cobell Scholarship honors Elouise Cobell, the Blackfeet leader behind the landmark Cobell v. Salazar case, and is administered by Indigenous Education, Inc. In keeping with her legacy of leadership and service to Native people, selection weighs community contribution heavily alongside academics. The scholarship fund grew out of the $3.4 billion Cobell settlement, the largest ever reached against the U.S. government, which set aside money for Native education. The first class of Cobell Scholars was named in 2015, and the program has since supported more than 7,000 scholars. Money from the historic Cobell land settlement funds this award for enrolled members of federally recognized tribes and Alaska Native villages, with recent grants reaching $12,000 and no minimum GPA on paper. Vocational certificates, associate, bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and professional programs all qualify, though competitive undergraduate files tend to sit at 3.25 or higher. Descendancy alone is not enough here: proof of tribal enrollment is required, which sets this program apart from most Native scholarships. The undergraduate window runs December 15 to March 31 in the OASIS portal, and a separate summer-session award opens February 15 and closes May 4. Full-time enrollment is expected, part-time is reviewed case by case, and students reapply each year.
How hard is the Cobell Scholarship to win?
Real competition, but not a lottery. The time cost is low enough relative to the award that a qualified student comes out ahead by applying.
- Estimated odds
- roughly 1 in 20 applicants
- Modelled applicant field
- ~9,500 students
- Awards each cycle
- 468
- Payoff per hour of work
- $150 / hr
What drives the odds here
Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.
- More rivalsOpen nationwide, so the field is large
- Fewer rivalsAn essay is required, which filters out casual applicants
- Fewer rivalsAn official transcript is required
- Fewer rivalsRestricted by racial or ethnic background
- Fewer rivalsRequires documented tribal enrollment
- More rivalsA five-figure award attracts a bigger field
How Solyo estimates this: We model the applicant field from how narrow the eligibility rules are, then divide the awards available by that field. Requirements such as essays and recommendation letters improve a serious applicant’s odds, because most browsers never complete them. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.
Who can apply for the Cobell Scholarship?
These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.
- Open to high school seniors, current college students, transfer students, and adult learners
- Open to U.S. citizens
- For students who identify as American Indian or Alaska Native
- Requires documented enrollment in a recognized tribe
- Proof of enrollment in a US federally recognized tribe is required; descendancy alone does not qualify
- No minimum GPA, but competitive applicants typically have 3.25 or higher (undergraduate) or 3.5 or higher (graduate); vocational applicants around 2.0
- Must be degree- or certificate-seeking and enrolled full-time; part-time enrollment is considered case by case
- Vocational certificates, associate, bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and professional programs all qualify
- School must be an accredited nonprofit public or private institution
- A separate summer-session award with its own application window is offered
What the application takes
- Essay required. The prompt centers on personal leadership.
- Transcript required. Request it from the school registrar ahead of the deadline.
Deadline and application cycle
The current deadline is March 31, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around March 31 each year. Applications open December 15.
- Summer-session award closes
- May 4, 2026
- Undergraduate application opens
- December 15, 2026
- Summer-session award opens
- February 15, 2027
- Undergraduate application closes
- March 31, 2027
Personalized matching
Does your student actually qualify?
See if your student qualifies in 30 seconds. Solyo checks 20+ criteria against their real profile: GPA, state, grade level, intended major, and more, across every award in this directory at once.
Common questions about the Cobell Scholarship
How much is the Cobell Scholarship worth?
The Cobell Scholarship awards varies; recent awards up to $12,000. 468 awards are made each cycle.
When is the Cobell Scholarship deadline?
The current deadline is March 31, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around March 31 each year. Applications open December 15.
When do Cobell Scholarship applications open?
Applications open December 15, and close March 31, 2027.
Who is eligible for the Cobell Scholarship?
Key requirements: Open to high school seniors, current college students, transfer students, and adult learners; Open to U.S. citizens; For students who identify as American Indian or Alaska Native; Requires documented enrollment in a recognized tribe.
Does the Cobell Scholarship require an essay?
Yes. The application requires an essay and a transcript. Expect to spend about 4 hours on it.
How hard is it to win the Cobell Scholarship?
Solyo estimates the odds at roughly 1 in 20 applicants, against a modelled field of ~9,500 students. The pool stays that size because an essay is required, which filters out casual applicants and an official transcript is required. At 4 hrs of work, that is about $150 of expected value per hour. This is an estimate from award structure, not a published acceptance rate.
Is the Cobell Scholarship free to apply?
Yes. The Cobell Scholarship is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.
More identity & background
Lists this award appears on
Award details are curated by Solyo and verified against the official scholarship page. Deadlines and requirements can change between cycles, so always confirm on the provider's site before applying.