Top Five: Scholarships Available to Women Pursuing a STEM Education
Financial Opportunities to Support Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Women seeking STEM degrees are on a steady incline and those looking for scholarships are equally sought after. According to data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), females represented 45% of students majoring in STEM fields in 2020, up from 40% in 2010.
Tuition at major colleges and universities are also on the rise. The average cost, including room & board, books & supplies and other living expenses, is more than $28K/year for residents and $38K/year for out-of-state students and a private four-year school is nearly $44K/year according to College Tuition Compare. These rates represent a more than 10% increase over 10 years according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
Which leads us all to consider how can students considering a major in STEM get financial assistance. We’ve rounded up some scholarships to consider.
Society of Women Engineers: SWE awards support to those who identify as women and want to prepare for a career in engineering, engineering tech or related fields. In 2022, according to the SWE’s website the organization dispersed scholarships valued at more than $1.7M.
Google Women Techmakers Scholarship Program: This program, formerly known as the Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship, aims to bring gender equality to the tech industry. There are 3 separate scholarships available and open for students looking to enroll in Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD level programs.
Microsoft Women’s Scholarships: The scholarships are available to women and non-binary people looking to pursue a STEAM education and are applicable for vocational or academic colleges. Awards vary in size up to $5K as a one-time or renewable for up to 4 years.
The National Association of Women in Construction: The NAWIC offers scholarships to women looking for careers in construction. For those interested in STEM that means degrees in civil engineering, architecture, and construction management.
Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellowship: This fellowship of $10K is awarded yearly to up to 30 women studying for degrees in aerospace engineering and space sciences. Since the start of the program in 1938, Zonta has awarded Amelia Earhart Fellowships totalling more than $11.3M to 1,275 scholars from 76 countries.
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