Free Money for Criminal Justice Students

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If you’re interested in a career in criminal justice, here is a list of Free Money for Criminal Justice Students. We’ve waded through hundreds of awards and filtered out the ones that are no longer available or are inactive. The educational awards that are listed here do include those that are institution-specific — although there may in fact be other colleges/ universities that offer the same award. When general award information is available, we’ve opted to list that instead of multiple entries of the same award at different institutions.

Featured Schools

NOTES:

  1. While scholarships, fellowships, grants, and other awards for students are subject to change, we’ve done our best to verify that awards exist up until at least the previous calendar year.
  2. General awards not specifically for criminal justice programs are not mentioned here, although awards that allow for more than one program of study are.
  3. Each award has certain terms and conditions. Make certain you have read them properly before applying.
  4. Awards have been arranged by month of deadline, to the best of our knowledge, then sorted in descending value of maximum amount and number of awards. Those awards for which deadlines were not clearly published have been listed in the final section. Please see the corresponding Web site for application instructions.

February

  • Ritchie-Jennings Memorial Scholarship — Four awards ($1K, $2.5K, $5K, $10K) are available for qualified full-time undergrad or graduate students majoring in one of several fields including criminal justice, and who are interested in a career in fraud examination. Deadline: Early February of each year (opens in September of previous year).
  • John R. Shell Memorial Scholarship — One award of $1.5K is available to a qualified junior or senior student majoring in criminal justice at the University of Wyoming who is a state resident and planning to become a police officer. Deadline: Mid-February of each year.
  • National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) — One award of at least $1K is available for qualified undergrad (junior/ senior) students in the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee who are a part of a minority group (preference for African-Americans) who have an interest in working in a correctional or criminal justice agency. Deadline: Between February and early March of each year.
  • Yolanda-Vega Will Alumni Scholarship — One award of at least $1K is available for a qualified undergrad or graduate student majoring in Criminal Justice or Social Work in the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Deadline: Between February and early March of each year.
  • Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors Youth Foundation Scholarship — One award of at least $1K is available for a qualified undergrad or graduate student majoring in Criminal Justice or Social Work in the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and who is interested in a career working with youth. Deadline: Between February and early March of each year.
  • Robert L. Stonek Award — One award of at least $1K is available for a qualified undergrad or graduate student majoring in Criminal Justice in the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Deadline: Between February and early March of each year.
  • University of Texas Arlington (UTA) Gary D. Harl Memorial Scholarship — One award of $500 is available to a qualified on-patrol police officer intending further studies in criminology and criminal justice from UTA. Deadline: Late February of each year.

March

  • American Society of Criminology (ACS) Graduate Fellowship for Ethnic Minorities — Three fellowship awards of $6K each are available to doctoral students of minority background enrolled in a criminal justice, criminology or a related program. No ACS membership required. Deadline: Early March of each year.
  • National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice (NABCJ) Thurgood Marshall Scholarship — One award of $2K is available to a qualified student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice or a related field. Deadline: Mid-March of each year.
  • Naqvi Injury Law Scholarship — One award of $2K is available to a qualified high school senior/graduate in the state of Nevada who is seeking a law-oriented degree. Deadline: Late March of each year.
  • Myrna Dolores Ilari Bain Scholarship — One award of $1.2K is available to a qualifying undergrad student at John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY system) towards a study-abroad program. Deadline: March of each year.
  • Deputy Bryan Gross Memorial Scholarship — One award of $1K is available for a qualified student who is a criminal justice major at the University of Wyoming. Deadline: Mid-March of each year.
  • Vic Reuschlein Scholarship — One award of $1K ($500/semester; renewable) is available to a qualified full- or part-time student enrolled in the Criminal Justice and/or Criminology at Allegany College of Maryland, is a resident of the Tri-State area and who attends church regularly. Deadline: Late March of each year.
  • Burke Memorial Scholarship — One award of $1K is available for a qualified full- or part-time student majoring in criminal justice (or healthcare) at Quinebaug Valley Community College. Deadline: Mid-March of each year.
  • Daren Fitzpatrick Criminal Justice Scholarship — One award of $500 is available to a qualified student who has graduated from Monument Mountain Region High School (or a neighboringschool) and who has an interest in a Criminal Justice degree at Berkshire Community College. Deadline: Early March of each year.
  • Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police (WASCOP) Scholarship — One award of $500 is available for a qualified incoming or returning student majoring in criminal justice at the University of Wyoming who has experience working in a criminal justice profession. Deadline: Mid-March of each year.
  • Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police (WASCOP) Internship — One $500 internship/ practicum travel expenses scholarship is available to a qualified senior student majoring in criminal justice who has an internship or practicum in the field. Deadline: Mid-March of each year.
  • Joseph Kimble Scholarship for Criminal Justice — One award of $500 ($250/semester) is available to a qualified full- or part-time student who is studying in the Criminal Justice program at Allegany College of Maryland and is a resident of Allegany County, Maryland. Deadline: Late March of each year.
  • William F. Lashbaugh, Jr. Memorial Scholarship — One award of $500 ($250/semester; renewable once) is available to a qualified full- or part-time student enrolled in the Criminal Justice program at Allegany College of Maryland and is a resident of Allegany County, Maryland. Deadline: Late March of each year.

April

  • Wallin & Klarich Scholarship — One award of $3K is available to first-year law students enrolled in an accredited law school in California and interested in becoming a criminal justice attorney. Deadline: Late April of each year.
  • Maria I. Ramirez Memorial Scholarship — One award of $1.6K is available to a qualifying female student at John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY system) who works and attends school full-time in a bachelor’s degree program in criminal justice. Deadline: Late April of each year.
  • COAG Scholarship — Three scholarships (one each of $500, $1K and $1.5K) are available to qualified high school seniors (in the state of Georgia) who are seeking an undergrad degree in a field related to government/law enforcement, pre-law, political science, accounting/finance or business. Deadline: Early April of each year.
  • Andrew T. Baran Scholarship — One award of $1K is available to a qualifying student enrolled in a four-year criminal justice bachelor’s degree at Ocean County College. Deadline: April of each year.
  • Douglas C. King Memorial Graduate Fund — One award of $1K is available to a qualifying student enrolled in a four-year criminal justice degree at Ocean County College. Deadline: April of each year.
  • Thurgood Marshall Scholarship (John Jay College) — One award for $1K is available to a qualifying undergrad student at John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY system) who has completed or is enrolled in at least one ethnic studies course or law course focused on minority issues. Deadline: Late April of each year.
  • Probation Officer Harold E. LaSalle Memorial Scholarship — One award of $500 is a available to a qualifying student pursuing a degree in Ocean County College’s four-year Criminal Justice program. Deadline: April of each year.
  • American Society of Criminology (ASC) Gene Carte Student Paper Competition — Three awards ($200, $300, $500) are available as the top three prizes in a student paper competition for eligible grad or undergrad students enrolled full-time, with each paper’s topic relating directly to criminology. Deadline: Mid-April of each year.

June

  • Association on American Indian Affairs (AAIA) Florence Young Memorial Scholarship — One award of $1.5K ($750 in each of Sep and Jan) is available for a qualified grad student seeking a degree in law, medicine/public health or art. Yearly reapplication allowed. Deadline: Early June of each year.

July

  • Christopher W. Keyser Undergraduate Scholarship — One award of $1.5K is available to a qualified undergrad student with an interest in legal or criminal justice fields who are enrolled in a four-year college/ university program in any one of several areas including criminal justice or pre-law studies. Deadline: Late July of each year.
  • Dolman Law Group College Scholarship Video Essay Contest — One bi-annual award of $1.1K is available to a qualifying current or prospective college student. Deadline: Late July of each year.

November

  • University of Texas Arlington (UTA) Joey Cushman Endowed Scholarship — An award of $500 is available for a qualified student who is a criminology/criminal justice major (sophomore or higher) who is also either a commissioned police officer or the child/grandchild of an active or retired commissioned police officer. Deadline: Early November of each year.

Unspecified Deadlines – Undergrad

  • North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association (NCSA) Undergraduate Criminal Justice Award — Twelve awards of $2K each ($1K per semester) are available to qualifying undergrad students majoring in a criminal justice degree and enrolled at select North Carolina colleges (applicable through eligible colleges and administered by NCSEAA). Deadline: See your college’s financial aid office or Web site for details.
  • Crime Stoppers of Sangamon and Menard Counties Scholarship — One award of $2K ($500/semester, 4 semesters) is available to a qualified student enrolled in law enforcement or criminal justice at Lincoln Land Community College, and who is a resident of either Sangamon or Menard County. Deadline: See site for details.
  • William D. Griffith Fund in Administration of Justice — Three awards of $1.5K each (one for each of sophomore, junior and senior) for qualified students who are majoring in criminal justice at University of Wyoming. Deadline: See site for details.
  • Margaret M. Samet Memorial Scholarship — One award of $1.5K is available to a qualified full-time undergrad student (sophomore, junior or senior) majoring in criminal justice or legal studies at the University of Central Florida (UCF) who can demonstrate financial need (as per FAFSA) and shows an interest in volunteer leadership positions and community service. Deadline: See site for details.
  • Amy Kuritar-Lohriman Endowed Scholarship — Three awards of $1K each are available for qualified full-time undergrad (junior or senior) students majoring in a criminal justice program at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Deadline: See site for details.
  • George Desalvia Memorial Endowed Scholarship — Three awards of $1K each are available to qualified full-time undergrad students majoring in criminal justice at the University of Central Florida (UCF) and who shows volunteer leadership interest. Deadline: See site for details.
  • Detective Barry Pruette Memorial Scholarship/Rotary Club Scholarship — Two awards of $1K each are available to qualified junior or senior full-time undergrad students majoring in criminal justice at the University of Central Florida (UCF) and pursuing a career in law enforcement (local, state or federal). Deadline: See site for details.
  • Sebastiano “Sabby” Crecco Memorial Scholarship — One award of $1K is available to a qualifying first-year student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice at John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY system). Deadline: See site for details.
  • Nancy Flynn Scholarship — One award of $500 is available for a qualifying female student (aged 25+, resuming college after five years absence from high school or college) at John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY system). Deadline: Late April of each year.
  • Criminal Justice Memorial Scholarship — One award of $500 is available to a qualified full- or part-time undergrad senior student majoring in criminal justice at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Deadline: See site for details.

Unspecified Deadlines – Graduate

  • National Institute of Justice (NIJ) Graduate Research Fellowship Program — Multiple awards are available (past amounts between ~$15-35K) for dissertation research support on topics related to crime and justice. Deadline: See site for details.
  • Gordon P. Waldo Fellowship — One fellowship award of $16.5K (and out-of-state tuition waiver) to qualified Florida State University (FSU) doctoral criminology students, who will partner with like-minded researchers. Deadline: See site for details.
  • Richard L. Rachin Fellowship — One fellowship award of a fall, spring and summer stipend of $16K (and out-of-state tuition waiver) to qualified Florida State University (FSU) plus editorial experience as assistant editor of the Journal of Drug Issues is available to a grad student pursuing a PhD in Criminology. Deadline: See site for details.
  • The Jennifer Kesse Endowed Scholarship — One award of $1K is available to a qualified full-time graduate student majoring in criminal justice at the University of Central Florida (UCF) and who shows volunteer leadership interest. Deadline: See site for details.

Unspecified Deadlines – Undergrad and/or Graduate

  • Criminology and Public Policy and “Social Problems” Fellowships — Two fellowship awards (one per journal) are fall, spring and summer stipends of $19-22K each (and out-of-state tuition waiver) plus editorial experience (as managing editor of one journal) to qualified Florida State University (FSU) students. Deadline: See site for details.
  • Des Lee Scholar in Youth Crime & Violence Scholarship — One award of $1.5K is available to a qualifying student pursuing a degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice at University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL), interested in the prevention of youth violence, and who is nominated by a faculty member. Deadline: See site for details.
  • Criminal Justice Law Enforcement Memorial Scholarship in Memory of Debbie Phillis — One award of $1K is available for a qualified full- or part-time undergrad or graduate student majoring in criminal justice at the University of Central Florida (UCF) and who shows volunteer leadership interest. Deadline: See site for details.
  • ASIS Foundation Scholarship/ UCF Undergrad Scholarship — Two awards are available for qualified students ($1K for full- or part-time undergrad; $500 for graduate) who are majoring in criminal justice at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Deadline: See site for details.
  • Jallad Family Endowed Scholarship — One renewable award of $500 is available to qualified full- part-time undergrad or graduate student majoring in criminal justice or legal studies at the University of Central Florida (UCF) and who can demonstrate financial need (as per FAFSA). Deadline: See site for details.

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