Grants for Masters Degree in Engineering

For individuals who excel in math and science, a career in engineering might be an exciting and rewarding profession. According to the United States Department of Labor, the starting salaries for engineers rank amongst the highest of college graduates. There are numerous disciplines within the field, such as aerospace or civil engineers. A bachelor's degree is required for entry-level positions with a master's degree needed for many research roles and job advancement.

Scholarships for Minority Students

Numerous nonprofit organizations and corporate foundations offer scholarships to attract minority students to pursue a master's degree in engineering. The National Minority STEM Fellowship Program is awarded to master's degree candidates in engineering, math, science or technology. At the time of publication, the grant is a $77,000 award funded over two years. Applicants must be U.S. citizens living in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, or Washington, D.C. Document management company Xerox Corporation (xerox.com) awards the Technical Minority Scholarship to students of African-American, Asian, Pacific Island, Native American, Native Alaskan or Hispanic descent. Students pursuing a bachelor's degree or higher in a technical field including engineering may apply.

Corporate Scholarships

Corporations that employ engineers often provide internship and scholarship opportunities to nurture future colleagues. Technology company Google (Google.com), awards The Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship to female undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in computer science or computer engineering. Students must be enrolled full-time in a U.S. college or university and have at least a 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale or 4.5 GPA on a 5.0 scale. Applications must be submitted online.

Federal Funding

In addition to Stafford Loans and Pell Grants, the federal government offers funding opportunities for engineering students through its various branches. For example, the Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship funded by the Department of Energy's Office of Science and National Nuclear Security Administration was created to attract future generations of engineers. Senior undergraduate, first-year or second-year graduate students in engineering as well as other sciences are eligible to apply. Students must be enrolled full-time, use their summers for continued research or study and plan to complete their doctorate uninterrupted. The fellowship is awarded for four years and must be renewed each year.

University and College Scholarships

The engineering department of many colleges and universities offer their own private scholarships and fellowships to graduate students. For example, the University of Southern California Viterbi School of Engineering offers five departmental scholarship opportunities for graduate students. The Karl Jacob Graduate Fellowship is a $5,000 award given to entering master's degree students studying computer science or biomedical engineering. The Master's Biomimetic Microelectronic Systems (BMES) Researcher Award is given to a master's degree student wishing to conduct research at the Biomimetic MicroElectronic Systems Engineering Research Center.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition -- Engineers
• National Minority Stem Fellowship Program
• Xerox U.S. Student Careers: Minority Scholarships
• Xerox U.S. Student Careers: Minority Scholarships FAQs
• The Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship: USA
• Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship: Eligibility & Program Requirements

Resources

• National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering
• National Society of Black Engineers: NSBA Scholarship Policy
• The National GEM Consortium: GEM Fellowship
• Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship: About DOE CSGF
• USC Viterbi School of Engineering: Graduate Scholarships and Financial Aid