The Pierre and Tana Matisse Scholarship 2020

The Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation is committed to supporting people from communities who directly experience the consequences of injustice and discrimination every day of their lives. In partnership with UNCF, the Foundation has developed The Pierre and Tana Matisse Scholarship program to provide need-based scholarships to Black, Latinx, and Indigenous undergraduate students from the five boroughs of New York City attending any accredited four-year institution or two-year community college in the United States.

Eligibility Requirements

  1. Be a Black, Latinx, or Indigenous* U.S. citizen.
  2. Reside in, or be a permaent resident of, one of the five boroughs of New York City (Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island).
  3. Be currently classified as a college undergraduate (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior) and enrolled full-time at any accredited U.S. 4-year institution or 2-year community college.
  4. Have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.
  5. Have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have a demonstrated unmet financial need.

*Indigenous students will be required to submit verification of tribal affiliation.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted online by the closing date, and must include:

  1. A current academic transcript (official or unofficial).
  2. A 1-page essay.
  3. One letter of recommendation.
  4. Indigenous students must submit verification of tribal affiliation. 

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants who have submitted complete applications will be notified of scholarship decisions by April 30, 2021.

Essay Guidance

The applicant must submit a thoughtful 1-page (350-500 word) essay that describes their career goals, and addresses how their academic, extracurricular, and volunteer activities have and will prepare them to achieve their goals. 

Letter of Recommendation Guidance

One letter of recommendation (LOR) is required to complete this application. The recommender must not be a friend or relative of the applicant. The LOR must be made through the online Applicant System, and must be received by the application closing date. Emailed LORs will not be accepted at any time.

Once the applicant has entered the recommender’s name and email address in the Applicant System, recommenders will be sent automated instructions for submitting an LOR. Recommenders who have not received automated instructions should download the How to Write a Reference Without an Invitation document on the right side of this page for guidance. Applicants will receive “Invite Reference” reminders until a recommender is invited.

Please contact Brandi Williams with questions about this scholarship.