Comprehensive Guide to Undergraduate Engineering Scholarships
Engineering is a popular major, with 191,336 degrees awarded in 2017 alone. The median tuition costs for engineering majors at in-state public colleges is approximately $8,000, while the median tuition cost for these majors at out-of-state private colleges is approximately $42,000 per year. Engineering scholarships are financial awards given to students pursuing a degree in engineering. This article provides a detailed overview of various undergraduate engineering scholarships, their requirements, and application processes, aiming to help students navigate the financial aspects of their education.
General Engineering Scholarships
These scholarships are open to students pursuing various engineering disciplines.
ASHRAE Scholarships
ASHRAE offers more than 50 scholarships each year. Ideal applicants will have excellent grades, have completed ample lab work and research, and should also show initiative, creativity, and excellence in their field of choice. Applications must be received by April 10, 2025, for consideration.
Several ASHRAE scholarships include:
- Willis H. Carrier Scholarship: This is ASHRAE’s most prestigious scholarship.
- Charles E. Henck Scholarship: Established by Charles E. Henck, a Fellow Life Member of ASHRAE. Special consideration shall be given to a student attending a school within the geographical area of ASHRAE Region III (Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington DC).
- Lynn G. Bellenger Scholarship: Available exclusively to women. Scholarship is named in memory of ASHRAE’s first woman president (2010-2011).
- Frank M. Prem Jain Memorial Scholarship: Special consideration shall be given to full-time undergraduate engineering students enrolled in a program accredited by a signatory of the Washington Accord in Asia or South Africa.
- Alwin B. Newton Scholarship: One-year scholarship established by and named for a former ASHRAE President (1976-1977).
- **ASHRAE St. Louis Chapter & Kirk T. Meskimen Scholarship
S-STEM Program
The main goal of the S-STEM program is to enable academically talented, low-income students to pursue successful careers in promising STEM fields. The S-STEM program seeks to increase the number of academically promising low-income students who graduate with an S-STEM eligible degree and contribute to the American innovation economy with their STEM knowledge. To be eligible, scholars must be domestic low-income students with academic ability, talent, or potential and demonstrated unmet financial need who are enrolled in an associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degree program in an S-STEM eligible discipline. Proposers must provide an analysis that articulates the characteristics and academic needs of the population of students they are trying to serve. NSF is particularly interested in supporting the attainment of degrees in fields identified as critical needs for the Nation.
Read also: Undergraduate Programs at UNC
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Scholarships
ASCE offers several undergraduate scholarships for student members of ASCE who are juniors, or seniors majoring in construction management or civil engineering.
ASCE Scholarships include:
- Freeman Fellowship
- John Lenard Civil Engineering Scholarship
- Trent R. Dames and William W. Moore Fellowship
UCLA Samueli School of Engineering Scholarships
With one application you will automatically be considered for any scholarship opportunity administered by the School of Engineering that you are eligible for, no need to apply to scholarships individually. They have scholarship opportunities available for students of all backgrounds including new freshman and transfers, international students and permanent residents from all engineering majors. If selected, the Scholarship will be offered in Academic Works. Upon accepting, students agree to complete a follow-up Donor Questionnaire, write a thank you note to the Donor, and participate in the Scholarship Brunch in Spring Quarter. NOTE THAT YOUR SCHOLARSHIP WILL NOT BE DISBURSED UNTIL YOU SUBMIT THE DONOR QUESTIONNAIRE IN ACADEMICSWORKS.
UCLA Samueli has a few admission awards and The UCLA Alumni Center also provides scholarships to prospective and current students. Additional Engineering and non-engineering related Scholarship resources are available through the UCLA Center for Scholarships and Scholar Enrichment, located at 233 Covel Commons. They also provide support and review services for scholarship applications including writing. It is open to all UCLA students regardless of financial aid eligibility.
Outside Agencies
Students are encouraged to apply for applicable Engineering Scholarships from Outside Agencies. If selected, the Scholarship will be offered in Academic Works. Upon accepting, students agree to complete a follow-up Donor Questionnaire, write a thank you note to the Donor, and participate in the Scholarship Brunch in Spring Quarter. NOTE THAT YOUR SCHOLARSHIP WILL NOT BE DISBURSED UNTIL YOU SUBMIT THE DONOR QUESTIONNAIRE IN ACADEMICSWORKS.
Read also: Drexel University Student Statistics
General Requirements and Application Process
Regardless of the specific scholarship, several common requirements and application steps exist:
- GPA: The required minimum overall GPA is often 3.0 or 3.25.
- Official Transcript: Submission of an official transcript of grades.
- Letters of Recommendation: Typically, three signed letters of recommendation are required: one from an instructor or faculty advisor, a current or past employer, and another character reference (other than a family member).
- Essay: A personal essay is often required, detailing why you want to become an engineer.
- FAFSA: Scholarships that are need-based will likely require you to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
- Full-Time Enrollment: Most engineering scholarships require students to attend school full-time to qualify.
Scholarships by Engineering Discipline
Civil Engineering Scholarships
These scholarships are specifically for students interested in pursuing a career in civil engineering.
- B. Charles B. Helliwell Scholarship: College students who are enrolled in a civil engineering or related program and who are members of an ASCE Student Chapter can apply for this award, whose amount varies annually.
- Eugene C. Figg, Jr. Civil Engineering Scholarship: A maximum of two awards of varying amounts will be given to college students who are focusing on water supply or environmental engineering in their studies. Though this scholarship is not renewable, you may apply for and win it more than once.
- Lawrence W. and Francis W. Von Tersch Civil Engineering Scholarship: The amount of this award varies annually, and while it's not renewable, you can apply and win the award more than once. You will have to submit a completed application form, along with a personal essay about why you want to become a civil engineer and how you have participated in ASCE.
- Robert B. B. and Josephine N. Civil Engineering Scholarship: Another scholarship open to college students majoring in civil engineering, this award amount varies from year to year, and is not renewable.
- The Civil Engineering Scholarship: This scholarship is awarded annually to a maximum of 12 college students pursuing a degree in civil engineering. The award amount varies each year.
Mechanical Engineering Scholarships
These scholarships are specifically for students who are getting a degree in mechanical engineering.
- ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) Scholarships: Several scholarships are available for ASME members.
- Kenneth Andrew Roe Scholarship: This $1,500 scholarship is for a college student and ASME member who is interested in the oil and gas industry. Applicants will be judged based on academic ability and the potential to contribute to the mechanical engineering profession. Preference will be given to students who are enrolled at Villanova University.
- Marjorie Roy Rothermel Scholarship: This $3,000 scholarship is for a college student and ASME member who is especially interested in fuels, combustion, or the power industry.
- F.W. Beichley Scholarship: This $3,000 scholarship goes to a junior or senior college student and ASME member.
- Melvin R. Green Scholarship: This $8,000 scholarship will be given to one mechanical engineering college student.
- Ralph K. Stair Memorial Scholarship: One $1,000 award is given out every year by the SAE Noise & Vibration Conference. College juniors who are studying mechanical engineering or an automotive-related engineering discipline can apply for this scholarship.
- Stephen T. Brewer Scholarship: This $3,000 scholarship is granted to one mechanical engineering college student every year. All applicants must have a minimum 2.5 GPA and be members of ASME.
Nuclear Engineering Scholarships
If you're interested in nuclear engineering, these scholarships are for you!
- Angelo F. and Frances M. Correnti Scholarship: Four awards of $1,000 are given out every year. This scholarship is specifically for high school seniors who will be enrolling full-time in a STEM program in college with a focus on nuclear science and technology.
- ANS (American Nuclear Society) Scholarships: Each year, ANS awards four $2,000 scholarships to nuclear science or nuclear engineering college students.
- Kent W. Hamlin Scholarship: One $2,000 award is handed out annually. This scholarship program targets students who are on their way to earning an associate degree and who are committed to pursuing a career in the nuclear power industry.
- Robert T. Liner Scholarship: Up to four awards of $2,500 each are given out annually to two-year community college or trade school students who demonstrate greater-than-average financial need and plan to pursue a career in nuclear science or nuclear engineering.
- Other ANS Undergraduate Scholarships: The American Nuclear Society offers a variety of other undergraduate scholarships with awards varying from $2,000 to $3,000. In order to apply for these awards, you'll need to fill out the ANS general application, then complete a second application for each specific scholarship.
Aerospace Engineering Scholarships
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) awards several scholarships every year to college students who have done at least one semester of study in aerospace engineering or a related science. Applicants must have a 3.3 GPA or higher, be an AIAA student member, be enrolled at a US college or university, and plan to enter a career that's part of the AAIA.
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Dr. Amy R. Dr. Ellis F. Brown Scholarship: Several awards (up to $6,000 apiece) are given out each year. This scholarship is for college students who are interested in a career in aircraft engineering.
Specific Scholarships and Programs
A1 Solar Scholarship
The A1 Solar Scholarship is available to engineering students pursuing a degree in renewable energy.
ACEC Research Institute Scholarship for Engineering
The ACEC Research Institute Scholarship for Engineering provides nearly 100 awards annually of up to $15,000 each.
United Negro College Fund (UNCF) STEM Scholarships
The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) hands out 500 prizes a year to African-American students who plan to major in a STEM field, which includes engineering.
West Virginia Engineering, Science and Technology Scholarship Program
This scholarship program is intended to help West Virginia students pursue careers in engineering. You should have a GPA of at least 3.0 from high school or your first two semesters in college and be enrolled or planning to enroll in an engineering or science program.
Galvanize the Future Richard L. Brooks Memorial Scholarship
One example is the Galvanize the Future Richard L. Brooks Memorial Scholarship. Most scholarships will clearly state in their requirements whether or not they allow part-time students to apply.
Microsoft Imagine Cup
For example, the Microsoft Imagine Cup is a global competition in which teams of students with interests in computer science, computer engineering, design, or a related field create a functional software project.
Scholarships for Specific Demographics
Scholarships for Women in Engineering
The best scholarships for women in engineering will vary; however, as only about 25% of engineering students are women, many scholarships exist to encourage more women to enter the field of engineering. There are also awards designed for women in any STEM field.
Scholarships for Minorities
The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) hands out 500 prizes a year to African-American students who plan to major in a STEM field, which includes engineering.
Additional Scholarship Resources
Scholarships.com
When you create a free account on Scholarships.com and add your demographic and academic information, you’ll be automatically matched to all of the awards you qualify for, including engineering scholarships. Sort your matches by deadline or amount to find scholarships as efficiently as possible.
General Application vs. Engineering Conditional Application
For the General Application, if your top 3 engineering clubs are your top 3 overall clubs, then it is fine to duplicate these experiences in the General Application. That being said, if you have other interests and involvement beyond what is specific to engineering, this is a place to highlight them. For the General Application, you are welcome to use the same essay used for the Engineering Conditional Application, but you do not have to.
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