What types of scholarships are offered by the AWS Foundation?

Scholarships are available for students in welding programs, or programs with 50% or more welding coursework. National, District, and Section Scholarships are for students in four-year, two-year, or certificate programs. The Welder Training Scholarship is for students in short-term certificate training programs. Your Academic Profile will determine the specific scholarships you are eligible for.

 

AWS Scholarships can be used for tuition, fees, books, supplies, and equipment required for the course of instruction.  Scholarship funds will be made payable and sent directly to the educational institution.

 

AWS Scholarships may be used for the following programs:

All other programs must have more than 50% coursework in welding.

 

Certificate programs must be a minimum of 360 hours.

 

Four-year students in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or Materials Science Engineering programs may be eligible for some National Scholarships if career objectives are clearly related to welding.

 

Union or apprenticeship programs are eligible, but recipient must provide documentation showing required expenses.  Scholarships may be used for tuition, fees, books, supplies, or equipment required for the course of instruction.  

 

AWS Membership is required for some scholarships.  For scholarships that do not require membership, selections committees typically prioritize applicants that are AWS Members.  Therefore, it is strongly encouraged that applicants register for a FREE AWS Student Membership by visiting my.aws.org and clicking Become a Member.

 

All scholarship applications open December 1st.  

 

The deadline for National, District, and Section Scholarships is March 1st.  A small number of scholarships have later deadlines, which will be indicated in the application.  Selections are made and announced between May and July.

 

The application for the Welder Training Scholarship is open December 1st to November 30th.  Selections are made and announced on a rolling basis throughout the year.  

 

Once the Contact Information, Academic Profile, and Personal Statement sections are complete, the application portal will display all scholarships you are eligible for.  If you believe a scholarship is missing, please contact the AWS Foundation through the Message Center.

 

National Scholarships range from $2,500 to $5,000 or more.  District and Section Scholarships range from $1,000 to $2,000 or more based on the quality and quantity of applicants.

 

There are some National Scholarships that require evidence of financial need, however most AWS Scholarships do not.  Financial Need is determined using the Student Aid Index (SAI) from your FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR) compared to your cost of attendance. 

 

Students from other countries may apply if attending welding school in North America.  Some scholarships are restricted to U.S. Citizens.  The AWS Foundation offers an International Scholarship for students attending welding school outside of North America.  More information can be found on the International Scholarship webpage.

 

Several other organizations offer scholarships that welding students may be eligible for, including: