SWE Scholarship Program
Offered by Society of Women Engineers · Free to apply
A single application from a woman planning an ABET-accredited program in engineering, engineering technology, or computing is matched against dozens of Society of Women Engineers awards worth roughly $1,000 to $25,000, given at both the national and local section level. It asks for a transcript and one recommendation, and most awards want a 3.0 GPA while entering first-year students need a 3.5 unweighted. Students already fully funded for tuition, fees, and books are not eligible, and individual awards add their own criteria such as citizenship, a specific major, or geography. There are two windows: current college and graduate students apply from early December to late January or early February, closing at 5 p.m. CT, and entering first-year students apply in a separate late-winter to spring window. First-year recipients are usually notified in July.
How hard is the SWE Scholarship Program to win?
Real competition, but not a lottery. The time cost is low enough relative to the award that a qualified student comes out ahead by applying.
- Estimated odds
- roughly 1 in 20 applicants
- Modelled applicant field
- ~6,000 students
- Awards each cycle
- 300
- Payoff per hour of work
- $163 / 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 gender
- Fewer rivalsRestricted to specific intended majors
- Fewer rivalsRequires at least a 3 GPA
- 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 SWE Scholarship Program?
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, and transfer students
- GPA of 3 or higher (unweighted)
- Open to female students
- Planning to study Engineering or Computer Science
- Open to applicants who identify as women pursuing ABET-accredited engineering, engineering technology, or computing programs in the U.S.
- Applicants already fully funded for tuition, fees, and books are not eligible
- One letter of recommendation is required with the application
- Entering freshmen need a higher GPA (3.5 unweighted) than the general minimum; requirements vary by individual award
- Must be enrolled or planning to enroll full-time, with exceptions for reentry and non-traditional students
- Graduate students and reentry students may also apply through the same system
- A single application matches candidates to every award they qualify for; some individual awards add extra criteria such as citizenship, specific majors, or geography, and some are renewable
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 1, 2027 at 5:00 p.m. CT. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around May 1 each year. Applications open early February for entering first-year students. SWE moves both windows each year and publishes exact dates in the fall, so check swe.org before counting on a specific closing date.
- Current college and graduate window
- Early December to late January 2026
- Entering first-year application opens
- Early February 2027
- Entering first-year application closes
- May 1, 2027 at 5:00 p.m. CT
- First-year recipients notified
- July 2027
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 SWE Scholarship Program
How much is the SWE Scholarship Program worth?
The SWE Scholarship Program awards $1,000 - $25,000 (one application, many awards). 300 awards are made each cycle.
When is the SWE Scholarship Program deadline?
The current deadline is May 1, 2027 at 5:00 p.m. CT. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around May 1 each year. Applications open early February for entering first-year students. SWE moves both windows each year and publishes exact dates in the fall, so check swe.org before counting on a specific closing date.
When do SWE Scholarship Program applications open?
Applications open early February for entering first-year students, and close May 1, 2027 at 5:00 p.m. CT. SWE moves both windows each year and publishes exact dates in the fall, so check swe.org before counting on a specific closing date.
Who is eligible for the SWE Scholarship Program?
Key requirements: Open to high school seniors, current college students, and transfer students; GPA of 3 or higher (unweighted); Open to female students; Planning to study Engineering or Computer Science.
Does the SWE Scholarship Program 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 SWE Scholarship Program?
Solyo estimates the odds at roughly 1 in 20 applicants, against a modelled field of ~6,000 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 $163 of expected value per hour. This is an estimate from award structure, not a published acceptance rate.
Is the SWE Scholarship Program free to apply?
Yes. The SWE Scholarship Program 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)
- AISES Scholarships$1,500 - $20,000 (varies by scholarship)
- 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
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.