STEM careers have become a national priority and students who aspire to careers in science, technology, engineering, and math will be happy to know that STEM scholarships abound.
Often, when you apply for scholarships in a specific area of interest, the competition is much less than if you apply for national scholarships with thousands of applicants. The fact there are fewer applicants improves your odds of being offered the scholarship.
STEM scholarships may be plentiful but how do you find them?
Search the search engines
You can search for “STEM scholarships” or even narrow it down to each specific category: science, technology, engineering, or math. You can also add gender specifics like “STEM scholarships for women”. As with any search, the results will be plentiful, but taking the time to decipher the results can put money in your pocket for college. A simple search unearthed this gem of a list: Engineering Scholarships-A Giant List.
Search engineering and tech company websites
Many companies employing STEM graduates offer scholarships. Start with a list of companies that interest you. For instance, a search on Google’s company website, provided six scholarship opportunities for students pursuing careers in computer science. Companies like Microsoft, Apple, Lockheed-Martin and General Motors offer scholarships to students interested in STEM careers.
Search college sites within STEM departments
Colleges offer scholarships specific to their academic departments. Search within each specific department for scholarships related to your area of interest. For instance, the University of Texas offers scholarships in their computer science department. When visiting the college, ask if scholarships are available in your area of interest and inquire about information regarding those scholarships.
Search affiliated organizations
You can search organizations and societies affiliated with STEM careers for scholarship opportunities. Organizations like the Society for Women Engineers and the American Society of Civil Engineers offer scholarships for students interested in engineering studies. Need help finding a list of organizations, here’s a good place to start: List of organizations for women in science and Scientific societies.
Search scholarship search engines
Last but not least, use scholarship search engines like MyScholly andScholarships.com. You can tailor your personal profile with the specific STEM search criteria. Set up a separate email for all these scholarship notifications and it will make it easier to sort and find the ones that interest you.
Search social media
Use social media sites like Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter to search for STEM scholarships. Locate colleges and organizations related to these careers and stay abreast of any posts they make regarding scholarships. A simple search on Twitter for “STEM scholarships” provided these results: https://twitter.com/search?q=stem%20scholarships&src=typd
Searching for scholarships requires some commitment of your time and the patience to search. If you believe that scholarships are an impossibility, remember that your chances of winning are zero if you don’t apply. Those who do invest the time and effort increase their chances of scoring money for college and who doesn’t like free money?