If you're studying science, technology, engineering, or math, you're entering fields where demand for talent is high — and so is the cost of getting there. The average annual cost of attending a four-year public university hit $24,030 for in-state students in 2024-25, and private institutions run well above $50,000. The good news: STEM students have access to a wide range of scholarships specifically designed for their fields. Some cover tuition in full. Others offer thousands of dollars that stack on top of other financial aid.
This guide breaks down the major STEM scholarship opportunities by discipline — engineering, computer science, biology, health sciences, math, and physics — plus cross-discipline awards that any STEM student can pursue. Whether you're a high school senior choosing a major or a college sophomore looking for funding, there's something here for you.
Engineering Scholarships
Engineering remains one of the most scholarship-rich fields in higher education. Professional societies fund a huge share of these awards, and many are renewable for multiple years.
Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Scholarships
The SWE Scholarship Program is one of the largest sources of funding for women in engineering. In the 2024-25 cycle, SWE awarded over $130 million in scholarships since its founding, with individual awards ranging from $1,000 to $17,000. Both incoming freshmen and current engineering students can apply. The application typically opens in December and closes in mid-March for the following academic year.
National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE)
The NSPE Educational Foundation offers scholarships to students pursuing engineering degrees at ABET-accredited programs. Awards typically range from $2,500 to $15,000. To qualify, students generally need strong academic records and must demonstrate a commitment to professional engineering practice. The application deadline for the 2025-26 cycle is typically in early spring.
ASME Scholarships
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers offers over 20 named scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students in mechanical engineering and related fields. Award amounts range from $3,000 to $13,000. ASME student membership is usually required, and the application window runs from early November through mid-March.
IEEE Scholarships and Fellowships
The IEEE Foundation supports students in electrical engineering, computer engineering, and related disciplines. IEEE offers both scholarships and fellowship programs, with awards ranging from $2,000 to $10,000. The IEEE PES Scholarship Plus Initiative, for example, awards $2,000 to $7,000 per year to students in power and energy fields — a sector with growing workforce demand.
Computer Science Scholarships
Tech companies and industry groups invest heavily in CS scholarship programs, often combining financial support with internship placement.
Google Scholarships
Google funds several scholarship programs. The Generation Google Scholarship awards $10,000 to undergraduate students from underrepresented groups in computer science. The program is open to students enrolled at accredited universities in the U.S. and Canada. Applications typically open in the spring for the following academic year.
Microsoft Scholarships
The Microsoft Scholarship Program provides tuition scholarships to students pursuing degrees in computer science, computer engineering, or STEM-related fields. Awards are typically up to $12,000 per year. Microsoft also runs the Blacks at Microsoft Scholarship, which offers up to $20,000 for qualifying students.
Computing Research Association (CRA)
The CRA Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award recognizes students who demonstrate exceptional research potential in computing. While this is primarily a research recognition, winners and nominees receive national visibility that often leads to graduate funding and fellowship offers. The CRA-WP Grad Cohort also provides direct support and mentorship for women and non-binary students pursuing computing research.
Biology and Health Sciences Scholarships
Students pursuing biology, pre-med, nursing, public health, and other health-related fields have strong scholarship options, many funded by federal agencies and research institutions.
Amgen Scholars Program
The Amgen Scholars Program places undergraduate students in summer research programs at leading institutions across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. While technically a research fellowship rather than a traditional scholarship, participants receive a stipend (typically $5,000 to $6,000 for the summer), housing support, and travel funding. The program is highly selective, accepting roughly 350 students across all partner institutions each year.
NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP)
The NIH Undergraduate Scholarship Program offers up to $20,000 per year for students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are committed to biomedical, behavioral, or social science research. In exchange, scholars complete a 10-week summer research internship at the NIH and commit to one year of post-graduation service at the NIH for each year of scholarship support. This is one of the most generous need-based STEM scholarships available from the federal government.
HOSA Scholarships
HOSA — Future Health Professionals provides scholarships for students preparing for careers in health care. Awards vary by state and national level, with amounts ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. Students who participated in HOSA during high school have access to additional scholarship pools.
Math and Physics Scholarships
Math and physics majors often fly under the radar in scholarship conversations, but there are meaningful awards for students in these fields.
American Mathematical Society (AMS)
The AMS Undergraduate Mathematics Majors page lists several awards, including travel grants for conferences and small research awards. While individual amounts are modest ($500 to $1,500), they complement larger institutional aid.
Society of Physics Students (SPS)
The SPS Scholarships offer $2,000 to $5,000 for undergraduate physics majors. The Herbert Levy Memorial Scholarship and the SPS Leadership Scholarships are among the most popular. Applicants must be SPS members and demonstrate strong academic and leadership records.
American Physical Society (APS)
The APS Minority Scholarship awards $3,000 to $5,000 annually to underrepresented minority students majoring in physics. The program also includes mentoring and networking opportunities. Roughly 25 to 30 new scholars are selected each year.
Department of Defense SMART Scholarship (Math Focus)
Math students should also look at the SMART Scholarship (listed below under cross-discipline awards), which specifically lists mathematics and statistics among its qualifying fields.
Cross-Discipline STEM Scholarships
Several major national awards are open to students across all STEM fields. These tend to be the most competitive — and the most rewarding.
Barry Goldwater Scholarship
The Goldwater Scholarship is the premier undergraduate award for students in mathematics, natural sciences, and engineering. It covers up to $7,500 per year for tuition, fees, books, and room and board. About 400 to 450 scholars are selected each year from a pool of over 5,000 nominees. Goldwater Scholars have an exceptionally high rate of going on to earn PhDs and win NSF Graduate Research Fellowships.
SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program
The SMART Scholarship, funded by the Department of Defense, is a full-ride award that covers tuition, fees, a stipend (up to $25,000 to $38,000 depending on degree level), book allowance, and health insurance. In return, scholars commit to working at a DoD facility after graduation for a period equal to the length of the scholarship. Eligible fields include engineering, physics, mathematics, biology, computer science, and more. This is one of the few programs that covers virtually all costs of attendance.
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
While aimed at graduate students, the NSF GRFP is worth knowing about early. It provides a $37,000 annual stipend plus a $16,000 cost-of-education allowance for three years. Undergraduate seniors can apply during their final year. The National Science Foundation reports that roughly 2,000 to 2,500 fellowships are awarded each year from approximately 12,000 applications. Planning your research experience during undergrad is one of the best ways to build a strong GRFP application.
Department of Defense (DoD) STEM Opportunities
Beyond SMART, the DoD STEM website lists internships, scholarships, and fellowships across all branches of the military and defense agencies. Programs like the Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) and the NDSEG Fellowship provide substantial support for students willing to work in national defense research after graduation.
How to Find STEM Scholarships at Your School
National scholarships get the most attention, but institutional aid — scholarships from your own college or university — often makes up the largest piece of the funding picture. Here is how to find what is available at your school:
- Start with your department. Engineering, CS, biology, and math departments all maintain their own scholarship funds. These are often less competitive than national awards because only students at your institution can apply.
- Check with the financial aid office. Many STEM-specific institutional scholarships are awarded through the financial aid office, sometimes automatically based on your major and GPA.
- Ask about endowed scholarships. Alumni and donors often fund scholarships for specific majors or demographic groups within STEM. These can be worth $1,000 to $10,000 or more per year.
- Look at your state's STEM workforce programs. Many states offer scholarships or tuition assistance for students entering high-demand STEM fields. Check your state's higher education commission website.
- Use your school's scholarship portal. Most universities now have centralized scholarship search tools where you can filter by major, year, and eligibility. One application can match you to dozens of awards.
If you want a personalized plan that factors in your school, major, and financial situation, CollegeLens can help you build one.
Roadblocks to Watch
Even strong students run into challenges when applying for STEM scholarships. Being aware of these common roadblocks can keep you on track.
- Missing deadlines. Many STEM scholarships have deadlines in the fall or early winter — months before you might expect. The Goldwater Scholarship, for instance, requires campus nomination in late January. Start tracking deadlines at least a full semester before you plan to apply.
- Ignoring membership requirements. Several of the scholarships above (ASME, IEEE, SPS) require membership in a professional society. Joining is usually cheap ($15 to $30 for students) but takes time to process. Do not wait until the last minute.
- Weak research experience. Many competitive STEM scholarships weight research heavily. If you are a freshman or sophomore, seek out undergraduate research opportunities now. Even one semester of lab work can make a real difference.
- Not asking for strong recommendation letters. A generic letter from a professor who barely knows you will not stand out. Build relationships with faculty early, attend office hours, and ask for letters well in advance — at least four to six weeks before the deadline.
- Applying only to "big name" awards. The Goldwater and SMART scholarships are prestigious, but smaller awards from professional societies, local organizations, and your own school often have better odds. A student who wins three $3,000 scholarships is just as well-funded as one who wins a single $9,000 award.
- Underestimating essays. Scholarship essays should be specific, personal, and focused on what you have actually done — not what you hope to do someday. Committees read thousands of applications. Concrete details about your research, your goals, and why your field matters to you will set you apart.
The Bottom Line
STEM students have more scholarship options than almost any other group in higher education. Between professional society awards, corporate-funded programs, federal scholarships-for-service, and institutional aid, there are thousands of dollars available at every stage of your education — from incoming freshman to graduating senior applying for graduate fellowships.
The key is starting early, applying broadly, and not leaving money on the table. Every hour you spend on a scholarship application is an investment that can pay for itself many times over.
You do not have to figure this out alone. If you want help identifying the best scholarships for your specific major, school, and financial profile, build your free plan on CollegeLens and get a personalized funding strategy.
— Sravani at CollegeLens