Female students have been largely unrepresented in the field of science, technology, engineering, and math. While women make up fifty percent of the workforce in most organizations, they only fill 28 percent of STEM jobs. In the last few years, more women have been enrolling to study STEM in colleges. A study showed that close to 200000 female students graduated with a STEM degree in 2016 from only 140000 in 2009. However, the number of males studying STEM has been growing rapidly too. And this has resulted in a wide gender gap.

Due to this gender gap, there have been efforts to attract more female students to STEM. One of these efforts is college scholarships. If you’ve been thinking of studying STEM in college, continue reading because we are going to discuss the ten best scholarships for female students in STEM.

1. The Science Ambassador Scholarship

• Application requirements: A short video of yourself explaining a STEM topic that you love
• Eligibility: College undergraduate or Female high school senior
• Deadline: Open application in the fall
• Amount: Full tuition

The Science Ambassador Scholarship is funded by Cards Against Humanity and it provides a full-tuition scholarship to female students taking science, technology, engineering, and math courses. This is one of the best scholarships for female students in STEM. You’ll be required to create a short video (three-minute) talking about a STEM topic on YouTube. Your video should be structured like a mini-lecture and you should ensure that it is scientifically accurate by citing sources. Don’t spend too much time improving the production value since the judges will be focused on your content.

2. Society for Women Engineers Scholarship Program

• Application requirements: Resume, FAFSA, Personal and faculty recommendations, and Transcript
• Eligibility: Female identification
• Studying full-time at a technological, engineering, or computing program accredited by ABET in the upcoming year.

Back in 2018, the Society of Women Engineers disbursed close to $830000 through renewed and new scholarships. The program was focused on helping undergraduates who intend to study engineering. To get this opportunity, you need to demonstrate enthusiasm for actively involved in engineering. Apart from a passion for engineering, the Society of Women is looking for academically bright students who’ll volunteer and participate in extracurricular activities.

3. Women Techmakers Scholars Program

Application requirements

• Reference from the instructor, professor, or supervisor
• Resume
• Transcript
• 4 answered essay questions

Eligibility:

• Strong academic record
• High school diploma
• Demonstrate passion and leadership for boosting women’s involvement in tech
• Plan on studying computer engineering, computer science, or a closely related field

The program was founded to boost the participation of women in the tech industry and is open to qualifying female students. Since it’s one of the most rewarding scholarships for women in STEM, candidates are chosen based on their impact on leadership, diversity, and academic strength. Apart from the generous reward, Women Tech Scholars can attend the Google Scholars Retreat which allows them to connect with other students and Google employees and participate in training.

4. Palantir Women in Technology Scholarship

Application requirements:

• Answer two essay questions briefly:

1. What project have you participated in or worked on that had a significant impact?
2. Tell us about an opportunity you made the most out of. How did you use it?

• Resume
• Transcript

Eligibility:

• Female student
• Sophomore, freshman, or junior majoring in STEM
• Full-time undergraduate student enrolled in a Mexican, US, or Canadian college in a current or upcoming academic year
• Amount: $7000

The Palantir Women in Technology program was launched back in 2010 by Palantir, a software company. And it allows ten recipients to receive $7000 grants plus an all-expenses-paid trip to the organization’s headquarters in California where they participate in workshops. You should consider hiring an essay writer if you don’t have enough time to work on the essays.

5. BHW Women in STEM Scholarship

Application requirements: A five –hundred-word essay on your favorite app or how the app played an important role in improving your life.

Eligibility:

• Female student
• Planning to attend or attending college in the US
• Pursuing a master’s degree or undergraduate in science, technology, engineering, or math

The BHW Group is a mobile app and web development company that’s based in Texas. It’s made up of developers, designers, and architects who are passionate about apps. The BHW female scholarships offer a $3000 reward for students who’ll submit the best essay writing on apps.

6. Virginia Heinlein Memorial Scholarship

Application requirements:

• A 500 to 1000 – word essay on a specific topic
• Your bio including career objectives

Eligibility:

• Majoring in Biological, Engineering, Physical Sciences or Math
• Full-time female undergraduate enrolled in a college that awards Bachelor of Arts or Science degrees
• Amount: $2500

The Virginia Heinlein Memorial Scholarship has been named after the American biochemist, engineer, and chemist. And it is awarded to female candidates majoring in math, engineering, physical science, or biology. It is one of the best STEM scholarships for women since the winner is chosen through an essay writing contest.

7. ABC Humane Wildlife Academic Scholarship

Application Requirements:

• An essay answering this question: Why do you love science, technology engineering, or math and how will your pursuit of these subjects help in improving the health of our planet, preserve biodiversity and alleviate suffering?
• Proof of enrollment
• Reference letter

Eligibility:

• Identify as a woman
• Planning to study or studying science, engineering, technology, or math fields
• Amount: $1000

The ABC Humane Wildlife Academic Scholarship was founded by Rebecca Fyffe, the Urban Wildlife Manager who is well-positioned in her industry as a female entrepreneur – only 3 percent of such firms are owned and managed by women. She credits her research and business success to her background with STEM. The program aims at increasing the number of women taking STEM courses by allowing them to pursue STEM degrees.

8. Girls in STEM Scholarship

Application requirements:

• One or two-page essay explaining why a STEM career is ideal for you, how you are advocating for women's STEM programs and how you intend to use this opportunity.

Eligibility

• Financial need
• Enrolled in good standing in a recognized STEM-related program
• GPA of at least 3.0
• Advocate for female programs in STEM
• Amount: $500

The Girls in STEM Scholarship is all about increasing participation and access of women in STEM-related fields to help the next generation achieve their goals. Recipients have to passionate about including more women in STEM fields and working in their local area to promote this mission.

9. AfterCollege STEM Inclusion Scholarship

Application requirements:

• Awards that you’ve received
• Transcript
• Resume

Eligibility:

• Enrolled students who want to get a STEM degree from unrepresented groups defined by race, gender, ethnic background, age, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, and socio-economic differences.

AfterCollege is an online provider that connects students who are looking for jobs with their employers. So far, it has awarded more than $1000000 in student activities and scholarships to date. Although this scholarship is not limited to female students, it focuses on underrepresented groups where women are included. And this makes it a worthwhile venture for female students who want a STEM degree.

10. HORIZONS Women in Defense Scholarship

Application requirements:

• Top fields of study include military history, engineering, security studies, cybersecurity, mathematics, law, computer science, policy and diplomacy, economics, intelligence, and policy.
• 500-word essay
• Proof of US citizenship
• Letters of recommendation

While it’s not STEM-specific, HORIZONS has helped more than 150 students pursuing degrees from STEM fields to public policy since the late 90s. The intention of the Women in Defense Scholarship is to increase innovation and diversity in defense by investing in intelligent women.

Outside Scholarships and Financial Aid

Outside scholarships are scholarships that are not provided by your college directly. They are a great way to offset higher education costs. However, they can negatively affect the amount of financial aid you get. Learning institutions should consider these scholarships as assets – increasing your family’s contribution while reducing your financial aid package. On the positive side, when schools analyze their financial aid packages to calculate scholarships, they usually decrease or remove some desirable forms of aid like work-study contribution.

Applying for scholarships: Useful tips

1. Improve your presence

The people who award scholarships are focused on choosing recipients who reflect well on their organization, society, and foundation. They might search for you on the internet before giving you the award. Therefore, while applying for a scholarship, you need to look at and polish your social media profiles. Eliminate anything that destroys your reputation. Building an online portfolio or website is one of the best ways to improve your presence by showcasing your tech skills.

2. Stand out

Most of the scholarships that we’ve discussed require a video or essay together with your resume. Your essay will allow you to stand out from your competitors by sharing your personality, highlighting essential things, and explaining why you deserve the opportunity. Here are a few tips that will help you construct a winning essay or scripting a great video:

• Create an outline: Since you’ll have a lot to say in a limited time, you need to outline to guide you
• Know your audience: Who is watching or reading your essay? What are they interested in? Know what they are looking for and tailor your content to fulfill their needs.
• Stick to your script: answer the questions that you’ve been asked
• Read the guidelines: You need to stay within the specified word count and time limits
• Stay positive: Schools awarding scholarships should feel good about their goals and objectives. There nothing good that comes from focusing on the negative side of life.

3. Avoid silly mistakes

As you write your essay or fill your application, you need to avoid standing out for the wrong reasons. Since most scholarships are competitive, you should avoid silly spelling mistakes, punctuation, and grammatical errors as they can mean the difference between winning and going home empty-handed. If you don’t like proofreading and editing, you should hire an essay writer as early as you can.

4. Get recommendations

Most scholarships listed above require letters of recommendation. It’s courteous to give the writer at least one month to write a good recommendation letter. Before they start writing the recommendation letter, you need to give them an overview of your scholarship, your core strengths, resume, and any other piece of information.

5. Apply for many scholarships

While no one way applies to winning a scholarship award, the more scholarships you look for and apply for, the more you increase your chances of winning. Don’t just look for big awards. Small awards can also help you achieve your academic and career goals.

6. Don’t focus on grades only

You don’t have to get good grades to qualify for a scholarship. Some school committees don’t look at grades when choosing scholarship students. Apart from your GPA, you need to look for ways to stand out from your competitors. Before you fill out forms, you need to think of what gives you an edge over other candidates. What skills or talents do you offer? Perhaps it’s your perseverance in the face of adversity or leadership skills on the playground. Think of the areas that you excel at without much effort. Your passion will radiate when you are asked to describe your hobbies in your application.

7. Start early

You need to start applying for scholarships before junior year. Starting early will allow you to research scholarships worth your time and energy. After knowing the options available, you’ll have plenty of time to complete applications that other students haven’t considered. You should apply for scholarships whenever you can to avoid missing out on great opportunities.

8. Develop your interview skills

Some scholarships will require face-to-face interviews. It takes time to become a good interviewee. Therefore, you need to practice answering basic questions such as your interests, background, aspirations, and achievements. Remember, the more comfortable you are talking to the interviewer, the better the interview experience will be. Making early preparations will make you feel comfortable and show them who you are.

Conclusion

There are lots of scholarships available in different learning institutions. To get your award, you need to research extensively and choose your applications thoughtfully. You also need to lean on your professors, friends, and community as you make your applications. A few minutes of research can save you a lot of time and energy in the long run.

Author Bio:

Jennifer Holland is a professional essay writer at ninjaessay and thesis writing services with 3 years of experience who has been writing about education and student life for several years. She helps students get their dream job by offering them her excellent writing skills and knowledge.