WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal scholarship aimed at boosting students from underserved and rural areas attending historically Black colleges and universities has been put on hold.

What You Need To Know

  • The 1890 Scholars Program, which helped students from underserved areas attend historically Black colleges and universities, has been suspended

  • It's not clear when the program was put on hold, but criticism of the move from members of Congress emerged Thursday

  • Affected universities include North Carolina A&T and Florida A&M

  • The suspension comes as the Trump administration has imposed a wide-ranging funding freeze on federal loans and grants

The U.S. Department of Agriculture suspended the 1890 Scholars Program, which provided full tuition and fees for students studying agriculture, food or natural resource sciences at 19 universities, known as the 1890 land grant institutions.

It’s not clear exactly when the program was suspended, but some members of Congress first issued statements criticizing the suspension of the program on Thursday.

Rep. Alma Adams, a Democrat representing a North Carolina district that includes Charlotte, called the move infuriating and urged the USDA to rescind it. 

“This is a clear attack on an invaluable program that makes higher education accessible for everybody, and provides opportunities for students to work at USDA, especially in the critical fields of food safety, agriculture, and natural resources that Americans rely on every single day,” she said in a statement. “This program is a correction to a long history of racial discrimination within the land-grant system, not an example of it.”

A message seeking more detail was left Saturday with the Department of Agriculture.

“The 1890 Scholars Program has been suspended pending further review,” the department said on the program's website.

The suspension coincides with a funding freeze President Donald Trump's administration instituted. Administration officials said the pause was necessary to review whether spending aligned with Trump’s executive orders on issues such as climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

The freeze has been challenged in court, and a temporary hold on the executive action is in place.

The affected universities include Alabama A&M, Florida A&M, North Carolina A&T and Tuskegee University in Alabama.

The scholarship program dates to 1992, but 1890 in the title refers to the Second Morrill Act of 1890, which established historically Black colleges and universities.

Eligibility rules include being a U.S. citizen with a GPA of 3.0 or better, along with acceptance to one of the 19 1890 land grant universities. Eligible students must also study agriculture or related fields and “demonstrate leadership and community service,” according to the department's site.

In October, the department said it had set aside $19.2 million for the program. In fiscal year 2024, 94 students were awarded scholarships, the department said.