Featured Scholarships: October/November 2024
By Matt Konrad
With fall in the air and midterms on students’ minds, it’s also time for some of the biggest scholarships of the season to start taking applications. The Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship is awarding 400 high school seniors with up to $40,000 plus internship opportunities; the SMART Scholarship provides full tuition and a guaranteed job after graduation. And the Scholarship America Dream Award provides renewable funds if you’re already in college, to ensure you can follow your path. Learn more below and visit the Browse Scholarships link to see all your options!
Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship
Today’s students are tomorrow’s engineers. Amazon is taking action to expand opportunities for students to study engineering and programming and create the diverse tech industry the future requires. More than just a scholarship, the Amazon Future Engineer program awards 400 programming and engineering students each year with up to $40,000 toward college expenses, paired with opportunities to intern at Amazon.
Amazon Future Engineers are students just like you from all across the country—like Danielle Darfour, a member of the University of Pennsylvania’s Class of 2027 and an Amazon Future Engineer. She says, “I’m grateful for the opportunity to grow my career with Amazon, especially so early in my journey, right after my first year of college. I became interested in computer science during quarantine, and being a role model in the field for younger girls who look like me has been my constant motivation. I thank Amazon for investing in my future and helping me become more capable of empowering others.”
Check out this video to hear directly from more students about how their scholarships have validated their hard work and made a difference in their lives, and then get ready to apply yourself!
To apply, you must be a high school senior planning to pursue a bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, robotics, or other computer science related field of study. You must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, planning to attend an accredited 4-year college or university (or an accredited 2-year college, with the intent to transfer to a 4-year institution).
Applicants must have completed, or be currently enrolled in, a high school or college dual degree course where computer science, engineering or robotics is the subject. Example courses include:
- International Baccalaureate Computer Science Course
- Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science A or AP Computer Science Principles
- Computer science through a college dual enrollment program
- Engineering
- Robotics
- Physical Computing
- Design Mechanics
- Computer Manufacturing
- Aerospace Engineering
(If you haven’t had an opportunity to take a qualifying course, you may opt-in to take an assessment offered by Amazon.)
Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship recipients will earn a scholarship renewable up to $10,000 at an accredited four-year college or university(*), as well as internship opportunities at Amazon after their freshman year of college.
(*Recipients at two-year schools will receive up to $5,000/year for up to two years until transferring to a four-year school, and up to $15,000/year for up to two following years.)
Applications are open through December 19. Apply Now >
Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship
It’s no secret that college tuition prices have skyrocketed in the last decade, making postsecondary degrees feel out of reach. However, the Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship Program empowers students to achieve their educational goals without the financial burden by offering full tuition and a future in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) with the Department of Defense (DoD).
For students like Coit Hendley, Ph.D., a former SMART scholar and current SMART deputy program manager, the scholarship was a turning point. “SMART gave me an opportunity to get through college with no debt, gave me a guaranteed job after, opened the door to get my Ph.D. in a way that I don’t think I would have had earlier in my career without it,” said Hendley.
SMART scholars, a passionate and diverse group of undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral STEM students, receive more than a scholarship. They engage in cutting-edge research during summer internships and are guaranteed civilian employment with the DoD after graduation. They receive full tuition coverage along with additional financial benefits, such as annual stipends, and allowances for books and health expenses. Additionally, scholars receive mentorship from top DoD scientists and engineers, setting the stage for their future careers.
SMART scholars like KeeAnia Kinkacha, who graduated from North Carolina A&T State University, have the chance to apply their skills in real-world settings even before they graduate. Kinkacha’s summer internship, where she assisted the Army in transferring their mainframes to a cloud-based system, was a pivotal experience. “My favorite part of my internship was the environment my manager and mentor fostered for me. They believed in me,” she says.
SMART isn’t just about helping students; it represents the future of DoD innovation and leadership. With over 5,200 scholarships awarded since its inception, SMART empowers the research leaders of tomorrow to focus on their passions.
SMART awards over 400 scholarships annually to top STEM students across the nation. If you’re interested in becoming a SMART scholar, and you are pursuing a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate in one of 24 eligible STEM fields, don’t miss out!
Applications are open through December 6. Apply Now >
Scholarship America Dream Award
The Scholarship America Dream Award is designed to help students keep moving toward a degree, by providing scholarships that stick with them for up to four total years. Current college undergraduates can earn renewable awards of up to $10,000 per year.
Dream Award Scholars include students like Jaden Banks, a Bay Area native whose childhood passion for Legos has seamlessly translated into his current pursuit of a degree in Civil Engineering at Southern University and A & M College. Raised in a single-parent household with four brothers, Jaden faced significant challenges, including a period of homelessness.
Jaden proudly stands as the trailblazer in his family by becoming the first to earn a college degree. Not only did he exceed expectations by earning Dean’s List honors, but he also excelled in varsity tennis and became a member of the National Society of Black Engineers.
To become a Dream Award Scholar alongside Jaden and his peers, students must be at least 17 years old and have plans to enroll in full-time undergraduate study at a recognized two- or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school in the United States for the entire 2024-25 academic year. Applicants should be working towards their first bachelor’s or associate’s degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Additionally, applicants must be U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, or individuals with deferred action status under DACA.
Financial need will be taken into account when determining award amounts, and recipients can renew their awards for up to three subsequent years or until they earn their first bachelor’s degree, whichever comes first.
Applications are being accepted until December 6. Apply now to embark on your journey as a Dream Award Scholar and pave the way for a brighter future.