Top 5 overall STEM scholarships
We hand-selected the following STEM scholarships based on the strong reputation of their organizations, the value of the awards, and being open to a wide number of students. Apply with confidence to these 5 top STEM Scholarships:
- Generation Google Scholarship – For HS seniors, college, and grad students who plan to study computer science or engineering. Worth $10,000. Preference given to women and ethnic minorities
- Dell Scholars Program – For Pell Grant-eligible high school seniors who participated in a college readiness program. Worth $20,000 with 500 scholarships awarded every year. Recipients also receive a free laptop, textbooks, and more
- Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship – For high school seniors with high financial need who plan to study computer science in college. Worth $10,000 per year
- Ocean Awareness Scholarship – For students aged 11-18 who submit writing, artwork, or a dance piece about the importance of conserving the ocean. Worth $1,500
- Thermo Fisher Scientific Antibody Scholarship Program – For college and graduate students studying life sciences or related fields. Worth $10,000
Top 5 STEM scholarships for women
- Science Ambassador Scholarship – For HS seniors and college undergrads who identify as female and submit a 3-minute educational video about a STEM topic they care about. Worth full tuition
- Hyundai Women in STEM Scholarship – For HS seniors and college undergrads who identify as female and are pursuing STEM. Worth $10,000
- Generation Google Scholarship – For HS seniors, college, and grad students who plan to study computer science or engineering. Worth $10,000. Preference given to women and ethnic minorities
- Navisite’s Next Steminist Scholarship Program – For women who are HS seniors or college students and submit a 60-second video about their dream STEM career. Worth $10,000
- Palantir Women in Technology – For women in college majoring in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related field. Worth $7,000
For our full list: Top Women in STEM Scholarships
Top 3 STEM scholarships for Black students
- Blacks at Microsoft Scholarship – For Black high school seniors pursuing a bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, computer information systems, or a business field. Worth up to $20,000
- Generation Google Scholarship – For HS seniors, college, and grad students who plan to study computer science or engineering. Worth $10,000. Preference given to women and ethnic minorities
- José E. Serrano Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions – For rising juniors who are ethnic minorities attending a minority-serving institution (HBCU, HSI, Tribal College, or other). Must be majoring in a STEM field. Worth about $45,000
Scholarship tips for STEM majors
- While some STEM scholarships are for students who have an interest in STEM others require that a student actually majors in a STEM field. This can be a big deal for students who are not 100% sure of their college major. You do not want to be in a situation where you may lose a scholarship because you want to change your major.
- If you are writing an essay for your scholarship, make sure that you are tailoring the essay to both the prompt and the organization awarding the scholarship. Try to read over their other materials to get a sense of the values and principles they hold, and emphasize these in your writing. For tips on writing scholarship essays, check out our guides on how to write a winning scholarship essay, how to write an essay about yourself, and how to navigate common scholarship prompts.
- Some individual colleges may offer specific scholarships to support prospective student majoring in STEM (such as this scholarship from Kenyon College). Check with the colleges on your list to see if such scholarships exist!
- Look for local scholarships! These often have a lower number of applicants, and so you’ll have a higher chance of winning.
- Check out our more specific STEM scholarship lists. These include biology majors, engineering majors, math majors, medical school scholarships, computer science, and more.
- Investigate professional and student organizations to find additional scholarships. Different subsections of STEM have nationwide and regional coalitions and organizations that offer networking opportunities, scholarships, internships, and more to their members. For example, the American Chemical Society Division of Chemical Education is a great resource for students studying chemistry. Professors at your school may be able to recommend some options for similar organizations, whether they are regional or national.
Deciding on a STEM field
STEM is a very wide categorization of fields of study – once you’ve made up your mind to become a STEM major, it’s a good idea to give some serious thought to which of the fields you’d like to study. Try talking to counselors at your school and professionals in each of the fields you’re considering. Better yet, try to find some internships to get some firsthand experience and see what it’s like as a day-to-day job. Our list of guides to college majors can also give you some insight into what is involved in each field.
Related: Top engineering summer programs for high school students
STEM scholarship spotlight
Lockheed Martin STEM Scholarship
Every year, this scholarship awards $10,000 to 200 students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in engineering or computer science. The application typically goes live in January and closes in March. Recipients can renew the program up to 3 times for up to $40,000 in scholarship funds.
Dell Scholars Program
Students who participate in a college readiness program in their last two years of high school, demonstrate financial need, qualify for the Pell Grant, and plan to enroll full-time in an accredited bachelor’s program can qualify for this scholarship, which offers $20,000 in scholarship funds, textbook credits, academic support, a free laptop, and free teletherapy throughout college.
Related: Top STEM summer programs for high school students
Frequently asked questions about STEM scholarships
Who can qualify for STEM scholarships?
There are many different types of STEM scholarships out there, and chances are, you qualify for many of them! STEM scholarships typically have some age requirements; some are tailored to current college students, some to high school students going into college, and some to graduate students. Others might require that you major in STEM. However, even if you are not a STEM major, there are STEM scholarships out there for you.
For example, the Lounge Lizard scholarship is a STEM scholarship for students with an interest in web design. While you are probably more likely to earn the scholarship if you major in a related field, it is not a requirement. You could be pursuing web design independently, or planning on taking a bootcamp upon graduation. So, if you are not a STEM major, there are still STEM scholarships out there for you. You’ll just have to put extra work into demonstrating your STEM interests.
For example, the Lounge Lizard scholarship is a STEM scholarship for students with an interest in web design. While you are probably more likely to earn the scholarship if you major in a related field, it is not a requirement. You could be pursuing web design independently, or planning on taking a bootcamp upon graduation. So, if you are not a STEM major, there are still STEM scholarships out there for you. You’ll just have to put extra work into demonstrating your STEM interests.
When should I apply for STEM scholarships?
As the proverb goes, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” There are countless STEM scholarships out there to apply to, and each has its own deadline. It’s a good idea to be constantly looking for STEM scholarships to maximize the number of opportunities that you find. If you apply throughout the year, you’ll have access to the widest variety and have a better chance of winning more money.
We understand that the constant search for scholarships can be difficult to maintain. It can be hard to keep track of what you’ve already applied for, and what opportunities are upcoming and which have already passed. Luckily, we’ve got a tool to help you keep everything straight and to show you all the best opportunities out there. That’s our scholarship search engine. This will custom-match vetted scholarship opportunities with your demographics and interests. It’ll automatically update with new opportunities and allows you to mark your completed applications and earmark the ones that you plan on applying to.
We understand that the constant search for scholarships can be difficult to maintain. It can be hard to keep track of what you’ve already applied for, and what opportunities are upcoming and which have already passed. Luckily, we’ve got a tool to help you keep everything straight and to show you all the best opportunities out there. That’s our scholarship search engine. This will custom-match vetted scholarship opportunities with your demographics and interests. It’ll automatically update with new opportunities and allows you to mark your completed applications and earmark the ones that you plan on applying to.
Which colleges offer scholarships for students in STEM?
Most colleges offer some sort of merit scholarships for STEM students. For example, Kenyon College offers substantial STEM scholarships for first-year students. If you’re interested in STEM, make sure to check out the scholarship pages of colleges you’re considering. Some automatically consider applicants for STEM scholarships, while others have separate applications for these opportunities.
It can also be a good idea to reach out to admissions offices of the schools you’re looking at. They might be able to refer you to STEM scholarships that you missed on the website. They could also refer you to local organizations or other scholarships that many of their applicants end up earning.
It can also be a good idea to reach out to admissions offices of the schools you’re looking at. They might be able to refer you to STEM scholarships that you missed on the website. They could also refer you to local organizations or other scholarships that many of their applicants end up earning.
How to find STEM scholarships?
We might be biased, but the best place to start when looking for STEM scholarships is this list! All of our scholarships are vetted and exciting opportunities to earn money for college. It’s also a good idea to look into local organizations and check the websites of colleges you’re interested in. You can also try out our scholarship search tool, which custom-matches scholarships for your demographic and academic interests.
Explore these other scholarship categories:
- Top engineering scholarships
- Top science scholarships
- Biology scholarships
- Top scholarships for high school seniors
- Top scholarships for gamers
- Top math scholarships
- Easy scholarships to apply to
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