The Thurgood Marshall Scholarship for 2027 is the big-money play for HBCU students: up to $15,000 through TMCF’s McDonald’s Black and Positively Golden award — plus a $2,500 Sallie Mae gap award that closes the distance between your aid package and your tuition bill.
Key Details
- Program: Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) scholarships — one profile auto-matches you to open awards
- Award range: $2,500 to $15,000, stacked against tuition and fees; many TMCF awards need no essay
- McDonald’s Black and Positively Golden 2027–2028: up to $15,000, need-based; 60 scholars; paid in fall 2027 / spring 2028 installments (opened August 3, 2026)
- Sallie Mae Completing the Dream 2026–2027: $2,500 gap award; 50 students (deadline December 1, 2026, or when funds run out)
- Deadline: December 1, 2026 (Sallie Mae) / April 23, 2027 (McDonald’s)
About the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship 2027
TMCF represents students at its member HBCUs, historically Black community colleges and predominantly Black institutions — 57 schools in the network. One TMCF student profile automatically matches you to every open scholarship you qualify for, so the two headline awards below are the ones to target first.
The Two Headline Awards
- TMCF | McDonald’s Black and Positively Golden Scholarship 2027–2028: up to $15,000 in need-based aid for 60 scholars, disbursed for fall 2027 and spring 2028. You must be a full-time undergraduate at a TMCF member HBCU, HBCC or PBI with a 2.7+ GPA, a US citizen or legal permanent resident, and submit a 200-word essay. Applications opened August 3, 2026; deadline April 23, 2027 at 11:59 PM EST.
- TMCF | Sallie Mae Completing the Dream 2026–2027: a $2,500 gap award for 50 students who are graduating by spring 2027 from an accredited US postsecondary school (full-time or part-time), with a 2.75+ GPA, US citizen or legal permanent resident, and a 2-minute video. Deadline December 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST — or earlier if funds are exhausted.
Eligibility
- McDonald’s: full-time undergraduate at a TMCF member HBCU/HBCC/PBI (57 schools); 2.7+ GPA; US citizen or legal permanent resident; 200-word essay
- Sallie Mae: enrolled full- or part-time at an accredited US postsecondary institution; graduating by spring 2027; 2.75+ GPA; US citizen or legal permanent resident; 2-minute video
- One TMCF profile auto-matches you to all open scholarships; awards stack against tuition and fees
How to Apply
- Create your TMCF student profile so you are auto-matched to open scholarships
- Apply for the Sallie Mae Completing the Dream award by December 1, 2026 (2-minute video)
- Apply for the McDonald’s Black and Positively Golden 2027–2028 scholarship by April 23, 2027 (200-word essay)
- Upload your transcript and supporting documents before each deadline
Start at TMCF’s official open-scholarships page:
TMCF | McDonald’s Black and Positively Golden Scholarship – Official Page
APPLY FOR THE TMCF SCHOLARSHIP
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship worth?
The headline McDonald’s Black and Positively Golden award pays up to $15,000 to 60 scholars for 2027–2028, and the Sallie Mae Completing the Dream gap award pays $2,500 to 50 students. TMCF awards range from $2,500 to $15,000 and stack against tuition and fees.
When is the McDonald’s TMCF scholarship deadline?
The 2027–2028 McDonald’s Black and Positively Golden Scholarship closes on April 23, 2027 at 11:59 PM EST. It opened August 3, 2026.
When is the Sallie Mae Completing the Dream deadline?
December 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST — or earlier if the funds run out.
Do I need an essay for TMCF scholarships?
Many TMCF awards require no essay at all. The McDonald’s award asks for a 200-word essay and the Sallie Mae award asks for a 2-minute video. One profile auto-matches you to every open scholarship.
Which schools qualify for the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship?
The McDonald’s award requires full-time undergraduate enrollment at a TMCF member HBCU, historically Black community college or predominantly Black institution — 57 schools in total.
More scholarship help: First-Generation College Student Scholarship Organizations, American Legion Scholarships, and Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship Program.