AISES Scholarships
Offered by American Indian Science and Engineering Society · Free to apply
More than $1 million a year flows through the American Indian Science and Engineering Society, making it the largest single source of scholarship money for Indigenous students in STEM. One profile in the OASIS portal is matched against every AISES award the student qualifies for, from $1,500 to $20,000, and free student membership is the only cost of entry. Strict tribal enrollment is not required: descendants of enrolled citizens, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Indigenous people of Canada qualify with ancestry documentation, though GPA minimums run from 2.5 to 3.0 depending on the award. The portal typically opens in March and most awards close May 31, but individual scholarships set their own dates, so read each listing inside OASIS. Transcripts and one recommendation are standard.
How hard is the AISES Scholarships to win?
A large applicant pool chases this award. Apply if the student is a genuinely strong fit, but build the plan around better-odds awards first.
- Estimated odds
- roughly 1 in 2,000 applicants
- Modelled applicant field
- ~2,000 students
- Payoff per hour of work
- $1 / hr
What drives the odds here
Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.
- More rivalsOpen nationwide, so the field is large
- Fewer rivalsAn essay is required, which filters out casual applicants
- Fewer rivalsRecommendation letters are required, a step many applicants skip
- Fewer rivalsAn official transcript is required
- Fewer rivalsRestricted by racial or ethnic background
- Fewer rivalsRestricted to specific intended majors
- More rivalsA large award draws far more applicants
How Solyo estimates this: We model the applicant field from how narrow the eligibility rules are, then divide the awards available by that field. Requirements such as essays and recommendation letters improve a serious applicant’s odds, because most browsers never complete them. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.
Who can apply for the AISES Scholarships?
These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.
- Open to high school seniors, current college students, transfer students, and adult learners
- For students who identify as American Indian or Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
- Planning to study STEM
- Must be a current AISES member; student membership is free
- Ancestry documentation is required (enrollment records, birth certificates showing descendancy, or a CDIB card)
- Descendants of enrolled tribal citizens, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Indigenous people of Canada qualify with documentation; strict tribal enrollment is not required
- Must be enrolled full-time at an accredited college or university
- GPA minimums vary by award; the flagship A.T. Anderson Memorial Scholarship expects a 3.0
- Graduate students are eligible for many AISES awards
What the application takes
- Essay required. The prompt centers on passion for the field.
- 1 letter of recommendation. Ask teachers or counselors early; good letters take time.
- Transcript required. Request it from the school registrar ahead of the deadline.
Deadline and application cycle
The current deadline is May 31, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around May 31 each year. Applications open typically March. Join AISES (free) and build the OASIS profile before spring, since one profile feeds every award and some close earlier than May 31.
- OASIS application portal opens
- Typically March 2027
- Most awards close
- May 31, 2027
- Individual awards set their own dates
- Varies by award
Does your student actually qualify?
See if your student qualifies in 30 seconds. Solyo checks 20+ criteria against their real profile: GPA, state, grade level, intended major, and more, across every award in this directory at once.
Common questions about the AISES Scholarships
How much is the AISES Scholarships worth?
The AISES Scholarships awards $1,500 - $20,000 (varies by scholarship).
When is the AISES Scholarships deadline?
The current deadline is May 31, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around May 31 each year. Applications open typically March. Join AISES (free) and build the OASIS profile before spring, since one profile feeds every award and some close earlier than May 31.
When do AISES Scholarships applications open?
Applications open typically March, and close May 31, 2027. Join AISES (free) and build the OASIS profile before spring, since one profile feeds every award and some close earlier than May 31.
Who is eligible for the AISES Scholarships?
Key requirements: Open to high school seniors, current college students, transfer students, and adult learners; For students who identify as American Indian or Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander; Planning to study STEM.
Does the AISES Scholarships require an essay?
Yes. The application requires an essay, 1 recommendation, and a transcript. Expect to spend about 4 hours on it.
How hard is it to win the AISES Scholarships?
Solyo estimates the odds at roughly 1 in 2,000 applicants, against a modelled field of ~2,000 students. The pool stays that size because an essay is required, which filters out casual applicants and recommendation letters are required, a step many applicants skip. At 4 hrs of work, that is about $1 of expected value per hour. This is an estimate from award structure, not a published acceptance rate.
Is the AISES Scholarships free to apply?
Yes. The AISES Scholarships is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.
More identity & background
- AAIA Native Scholarship$3,000 (varies by year)
- APIA Scholarship$2,500 - $20,000
- CBC Spouses Education Scholarship$2,500 - $20,000 (one-time)
- Cobell ScholarshipVaries; recent awards up to $12,000
- Connecticut Minority Teacher Incentive ProgramUp to $5,000/yr for two years, plus $2,500/yr loan reimbursement for up to four years teaching
- Esperanza Education Fund ScholarshipUp to $10,000
Lists this award appears on
Award details are curated by Solyo and verified against the official scholarship page. Deadlines and requirements can change between cycles, so always confirm on the provider's site before applying.