The Higher Education Act of 1965 defines an HBCU as "… any historically black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of black Americans."

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have a long history of serving African American communities long before many colleges and universities would admit black students.

Even though today's African American students can attend college anywhere their grades and talents can take them, many still turn to HBCUs for their education.

Why Attend an HBCU?

For some students, it may be the chance to study with mentors who are of the same culture and who are successful in their fields.

Others may have family ties to an HBCU that go back generations.

Still others attend an HBCU to get a college experience with an African American flavor.

In addition to rigorous academics, HBCUs have storied legacies that are intertwined with the history of civil rights in the United States, giving their students, regardless of race or background, a distinctive perspective on the African American experience.

And the appeal of HBCUs goes beyond African American communities. Though the student bodies at most of these schools are predominantly black, HBCUs encourage students from different backgrounds and culture to join their academic communities.

HBCUs Breed Success

There are 118 HBCUs, consisting of public and private two-year and four-year institutions, as well as graduate and professional schools, according to the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO).

• They count prominent leaders in public service, business, science, and the arts among their alumni.
• They educate nearly 14% of all African American students in higher education, according to the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
• They awarded nearly one out of every four bachelor's degrees earned by African Americans in 1999.
• They also awarded one out of every six master's degrees or first-time professional degrees earned by African Americans.
• Similarly, large numbers of students who graduate from HBCUs pursue advanced degrees, often at elite universities.

Scholarship with NAFEO

If you are attending an HBCU or predominantly black college (PBC), The Sallie Mae Fund and NAFEO have a scholarship you might be interested in: Learn about the Writers of Passage Scholarship Program (and see other Sallie Mae Fund scholarships).

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