The first tribal college was founded by the Navajo Nation in 1968 in Arizona, and several others were established in the 1970s by other tribes. As of 1994, most tribal colleges have been authorized by Congress as land-grant colleges.
A “land grant” college receives benefits under the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890. The 1862 Morrill Act funded educational institutions by granting federally controlled land to the states for them to sell to raise funds to establish and endow “land-grant” colleges. The mission of these institutions as set forth in the 1862 Act is to focus on the teaching of practical agriculture, science, military science and engineering.
The Morrill Act of 1890 granted cash instead of land. Most native American colleges received assistance under the 1890 Morrill Act in 1994, and are referred to as land grant colleges.
Tribal colleges are located on or near Indian reservations and provide access to post-secondary education, accredited degrees, and vocational training for both Indian and non-Indian students. Most are sponsored by one individual tribe, but a few are a collaboration of multiple tribes.
Presently, there are 32 fully accredited Tribal Colleges and Universities in the United States, with one formal candidate for accreditation. Three are in Associate Status. These Tribal Colleges and Universities offer 358 total programs, including apprenticeships, diplomas, certificates, and degrees. These programs include 181 associate degree programs at 23 Tribal Colleges and Universities, 40 bachelor’s degree programs at 11 Tribal Colleges and Universities, and 5 master’s degree programs at 2 Tribal Colleges and Universities.
Located mainly in the Midwest and Southwest, Tribal Colleges and Universities service approximately 30,000 full- and part-time students. According to fall 2010 enrollment data, 8.7% of American Indian and Alaska Native college students were attending one of the 32 accredited Tribal Colleges and Universities. American Indian and Alaska Native students composed 78% of the combined total enrollment of these institutions in 2010.
The percentage of American Indian and Alaska Native students attending Tribal Colleges and Universities is increasing yearly. According to a study by the National Center for Education Statistics, the number of American Indian and Alaska Native students enrolled in Tribal Colleges and Universities increased by 23% between 2001 and 2006.
Tribal Colleges and Universities are both integral and essential to their communities, creating environments that foster American Indian culture, languages, and traditions. They are often the only postsecondary institutions within some of our Nation’s poorest rural areas. Tribal Colleges and Universities serve a variety of people, from young adults to senior citizens.
They also serve as community resources for crucial social services and add hope to communities that suffer from high rates of poverty and unemployment. And overall, Tribal Colleges and Universities have developed programs where students are achieving.
The American Indian College Fund reports that 86% of tribal college and university students complete their chosen program of study, while fewer than 10% of American Indian and Alaska Native students who go directly from reservation high schools to mainstream colleges and universities finish their bachelor’s degree.
American Indian students have to pay tuition just like everyone else. However, many tribes do have scholarships available for their tribal members. American Indian students must apply for these scholarships and meet whatever criteria each tribe has set for their particular scholarship.