Brown v. Board of Education Scholarship Program
Brown v. Board of Education Scholarship Committee, Virginia General Assembly (Division of Legislative Services)
Scholarships for Virginians whose schooling was disrupted by 1954-1964 school closings to avoid desegregation (full tuition) and their descendants (up to $10,000 a year).
- How much
- Full tuition/program costs for directly affected individuals; up to $10,000 per academic year for descendants
- Who qualifies
- Directly affected by Virginia public school closings of 1954-1964 (Arlington, Charlottesville, Norfolk, Prince Edward County, Warren County), or a lineal or collateral descendant of such a person
- Current Virginia domiciled resident (§ 23.1-502). Must attend an accredited Virginia institution whose main campus is in Virginia; not for-profit, out-of-state, theological or unaccredited schools.
- For adults going back to school, trade school students, students starting college, undergrads, transfer students, grad students
- When to apply
- Opens later Annual; applications posted around January 15 and due in spring (2026-27 descendant applications were due April 11, 2026); deadlines are not waived.
- How to apply
- Download the year's application (new descendants, renewal, or original-criteria) from brownscholarship.virginia.gov and email it to brownscholarship@dls.virginia.gov or mail it to the Committee, with two proofs of Virginia residency, then send your enrollment confirmation
- What you'll need
- state application
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (brownscholarship.virginia.gov), page 2 and page 3
The details
For current Virginia residents who, between 1954 and 1964, were students in the public schools of Arlington, Charlottesville, Norfolk, Prince Edward County or Warren County and were kept from beginning, continuing or finishing their education by closings to avoid desegregation (or had to relocate, couldn't attend a segregation academy, or couldn't pursue further education for lack of a diploma), and for their lineal or collateral descendants (children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and their descendants). Directly affected individuals can have full tuition or program costs paid, plus possibly a book allowance and laptop. Descendants can get up to $10,000 per academic year, no more than $5,000 per semester, for tuition, fees and books; priority goes by closeness of relationship. Usable only at accredited Virginia institutions (main campus in Virginia) for GED/adult education, community college and career-technical programs, four- and five-year undergraduate degrees, and master's, doctoral and professional degrees. Renewal requires a new application each year.
More money from Virginia
- Virginia Space Grant Undergraduate STEM Research ScholarshipUp to $8,500 per year
- Virginia Space Grant Graduate STEM Research Fellowship$6,000 per year
- Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant (VTAG)Up to $5,250 per year for undergraduates (2026-27 maximum); $5,000 for eligible graduate health-professions students; higher at Hampton and Virginia Union
- Two-Year College Transfer Grant (CTG)Up to $1,000 per year base; plus up to $1,000 STEM-N bonus; plus $1,000 incentive at NSU, ODU, Radford, UVA Wise, VCU and VSU
- Granville P. Meade Scholarship$2,000 per year for four years (most recent cycle)
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
We list programs; we don't decide who gets them. Always check the official page before you apply. Spot something wrong? Tell us.