A student holds a lamb in a barn

Image (C) UMD AGNR Image Database

Updated: September 26, 2024
By Neith Little

Where can I find agricultural scholarships?

Below is a selected list of some of the scholarships available for students pursuing post-high school education in agriculture or related fields. These scholarships have been selected because they might be particularly relevant to Maryland residents and students with interests related to urban agriculture. More comprehensive agricultural scholarship lists exist, such as this one compiled by collegescholarships.org

 

 

University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) scholarships list

UMD’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources gathers information about scholarships on its website here: https://agnr.umd.edu/admissions/scholarships

University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) scholarships list

UMES compiles information about scholarships on its website here: https://wwwcp.umes.edu/financialaid/scholarships/

Agricultural scholarship specific to students from Baltimore City

Farm Alliance of Baltimore’s Sofia Whiting Memorial Scholarship:

Agriculture and horticulture scholarships specific to Maryland

Maryland Nursery, Landscape and Greenhouse Association Ornamental Horticulture Scholarship

  • Three $5,000 scholarships are available for college or graduate students students pursuing an education in the field of landscape/ornamental horticulture. 
  • In previous years, applications were due by May 31
  • Learn more and apply here: https://mnlga.org/page/ScholarshipOpportunities

 

Bruce W. Hotchkiss Memorial Scholarship

  • Offered every year by The Delmarva Farmer newspaper, in memory of their founding editor.
  • In previous years, applications were due in May.
  • Open to residents of Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and New Jersey who are current high school seniors or college students studying for a career in agriculture. Cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher. 
  • Check advertisements in The Delmarva Farmer paper or call 1-800-634-5021 for more information.

 

Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation

  • The $1,500 scholarship is open to rising junior or senior undergraduate or graduate students who are residents of Maryland and who are enrolled in majors leading to careers in agricultural education or Extension education.
  • In 2024, applications were due by March 25. 
  • Learn more and apply here: https://maefonline.com/home/studen-center/scholarships/

Agriculture and horticulture scholarships specific to our region

 

[NEW 9/26/24] Horizon Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancement Scholarships

  • $10,000 scholarships for "high school seniors or those currently enrolled in a two or four year higher education program, with plans to pursue a career in agriculture. This doesn’t have to mean you’re planning to be a farmer – this also includes food scientists, veterinarians, ag teachers, or maybe even a Farm Credit loan officer."
  • "In order to be eligible, you must reside in Horizon Farm Credit’s territory, made up of the following states/counties: Delaware, Maryland (Baltimore, Carroll, Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Kent, Montgomery, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Washington, Wicomico, Worcester), Pennsylvania, Virginia (Accomack, Clarke, Frederick, Northampton, Page, Shenandoah, Warren), West Virginia (Berkeley, Brooke, Hancock, Jefferson, Marshall,  Morgan, Ohio), or Washington D.C."
  • 2025 applications are due by January 3, 2025
  • Learn more and apply here.

Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Endowment Fund: 

  • A $2,000 scholarship is available for undergraduate students in horticulture, who are residents of Southeastern US States (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia). Students may attend college anywhere, they just need to be residents of one of the states. 
  • In previous years, applications were due in May.
  • Learn more and apply here: https://www.sbmsef.org/apply.html

MidAtlantic Certified Crop Advisers (CCA) Board

  • $500 to $1000 scholarships to individuals pursuing an agricultural degree. Scholarship recipients also will be able to take the CCA exam at no cost when they graduate from their degree program. 
  • Email jenell.mdag@gmail.com to join the mailing list to be notified when they are accepting applications

Scholarships for students from historically under-represented communities

USDA 1890 National Scholar Program

  • The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) 1890 National Scholars Program will provide full tuition, employment, employee benefits, fees, books, and room and board each year for up to 4 years to selected students pursuing a bachelor's degree at Historically Black Land-Grant colleges and universities. 
  • Scholars accepted into the program may be eligible for noncompetitive conversion to full time employment with USDA upon graduation. 
  • The application deadline is usually in late January.
  • Learn more and see the list of eligible colleges here: https://www.usda.gov/partnerships/1890NationalScholars

 

USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Diversity Fellowship

  • The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service is sponsoring a full-ride graduate school scholarship, paid internship, and a career path to the U.S. Foreign Agricultural Service for selected candidates who are pursuing master's degrees in Agribusiness or Agricultural Economics. 
  • The 2022 deadline is Oct 6, 2022
  • For more information and to apply, visit their website here.

 

National agriculture and horticulture scholarships

Agronomy Society of America

 

Horticultural Research Institute