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Criminal Justice Scholarships

Updated 02 Apr 2024 | Hannah Heine

Criminal Justice is a major that can open a lot of different doors. In addition to careers in police work and corrections, you can work as a park ranger, a rehabilitation counselor, a forensic expert, or an officer in the court system.

You can also become a criminal law paralegal, go on to graduate school and study counter-terrorism, criminal psychology, or law, or even become a private detective.

List of Scholarships for Criminal Justice Majors

Find GI Bill-approved schools offering Criminal Justice degree programs with the CollegeRecon School Finder.

Here are some of the Criminal Justice scholarships available.

ATE Ballistic Helmet Scholarship Fund

- Awards: $1,000+ an ATE Ballistic Helmet
- Details: For students pursuing a career in law enforcement. You must be accepted for full-time enrollment at an accredited two-year American university with the goal of becoming a police officer.
- Deadlines: March 31 and October 1
- Website for more information and to apply for this scholarship: Hardhead Veterans

Christopher W. Keyser Scholarship

- Awards: $1,000
- Details: For undergraduate students enrolled in a four-year college or university program in the U.S., who major in Criminal Justice.
- Deadline: July 31
- Website for more information and to apply for this scholarship: Keyser Defense

The J. Edgar Hoover Scholarship

- Amount: $25,000
- Details: For undergraduate students who are interested in a career in forensic science and law enforcement.
- Deadline: April 6
- Website for more information and to apply for this scholarship: link

The Johnson-Whyte Memorial Foundation Fund

- Awards: 2 awards. Amounts vary.
- Details: For undergraduate junior or senior students, enrolled full-time at an accredited college or university, with a GPA 3.0 or higher and majoring in a field related to forensic identification.
- Deadline: May
- Website for more information and to apply for this scholarship: link

The Lint Center for National Security Scholarships

They do not appear to have a current scholarship as of spring 2022.

- Awards: $500 – $1,500 (Multiple Scholarships)
- Details: For undergraduate and graduate students who are pursuing careers in international affairs, counterintelligence, and/or U.S. national security,
- Deadlines: January & July
- Website for more information and to apply for these scholarships: link

The War Veterans Scholarship

- Awards: $2,500
- Details: For sophomore or junior students who are enrolled or attending an accredited school who served in Afghanistan or Iraq, who are majoring in C41-related fields, e.g. information technology, communications, and electronics, for defense, homeland security and intelligence, and Minimum GPA: 3.0
- The Deadlines: May 31
- Website for more information and to apply for this scholarship: link

The Thurgood Marshall NABCJ Scholarship Award

- Awards: $2,000
- Details: This scholarship is sponsored by the National Association for Blacks in Criminal Justice. It’s for a criminal justice undergraduate with a “B” average grade point, and documented financial need.
- Deadline: March 31
- Website for more information and to apply for this scholarship: link

The Women in Defense Scholarship

- Awards: $1,000+ (Multiple Awards)
- Details: For women who are currently enrolled or enrolling in an accredited university either full-time or part-time, with an interest in pursuing a career related to national security or defense. Minimum GPA 3.25.
- Deadline: March 31
- Website for more information and to apply for this scholarship: link

Ruth D. Peterson Fellowship for Racial and Ethnic Diversity Scholarship

- Awards: $6,000 (3 awards)
- Details: For graduate students of color, including but not limited to Latina, Asian, Black, and Indigenous people, who have been admitted to a graduate program of doctoral studies in criminal justice, criminology, or related studies.
- Deadline: March
- Website for more information and to apply for this scholarship: link

Out to Protect Scholarship

They do not appear to have a current scholarship as of spring 2022.

- Awards: $500 – $1,000
- Details: For gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender students, enrolled in basic law enforcement training programs, law enforcement academies, corrections academies, or 9-1-1 dispatcher academies, who are willing to be visible role models.
- Deadline: Ongoing. Awards were announced in June and December.
- Website for more information and to apply for this scholarship: link

State-specific and School-specific Scholarships

A few of those include:

Oregon

The Oregon Association Chiefs of Police (OACP) Scholarship

- Awards: $1,000
- Details: For students currently enrolled in a Criminal Justice or related program at an accredited institution with a (GPA) of at least 2.5.
- Deadline: December 31
- Website for more information and to apply for this scholarship: link

San Francisco Bay Area

The Howard Johnson Law Enforcement Scholarship

- Awards: Up to seven scholarships of up to $5,000
- Details: For undergraduate, and graduate students, from the San Francisco Bay area, with a minimum 2.5 GPA who plan to enroll, or are enrolled full-time at a college, university, or police academy with a plan to pursue a career in police work, corrections, or other criminal justice fields.
- Deadline: February
- Website for more information and to apply for this scholarship: link

Virginia

Virginia Sheriff’s Scholarship

- Awards: 2 awards. Amount varies.
- Details: For undergraduates attending a Virginia college or university, who want to study criminal justice.
- Deadline: May 1
- Website for more information and to apply for this scholarship: link

Washington

The Women in Law Enforcement Scholarship

They do not appear to have a current scholarship!

- Awards: Amount TBD
- Details: For Washington state undergraduate students who major in law and justice, with a 2.5 GPA. Offered through Central Washington University.
- Deadline: February
- Website for more information and to apply for this scholarship: link

Make sure to read the qualifications for each scholarship before you apply, and don’t forget to visit CollegeRecon for other scholarships such as scholarships for veterans, military spouses, and military children.

Wrapping it all up, if you are a veteran or a member of the U.S. military, you are eligible for many different scholarships. Some of the best ways to get information about all of the available scholarships are to use our Scholarship Finder or contact your military, retired or veteran organization, or state representative to receive information about the available programs. There is a lot of money out there for those who are willing to do a little research.