Scholarships & Awards

SCSE Scholarship winners at a banquet

There could be a seat for you at the scholarship banquet!

Swenson College of Science and Engineering Scholarships

More than a million scholarship dollars were awarded to SCSE students for the 2024-25 academic year!

Our college is fortunate to be able to provide scholarship support to students thanks to private gifts from alumni, friends and local businesses.

Scholarship amounts range from $1,000 to full tuition, and applying for scholarships is easy.

If you are an incoming freshman, scholarships are awarded through Admissions and require students to submit an application for admission. The application to apply to UMD is used to determine scholarship eligibility.

Applying is Easy

If you are enrolled in the Swenson College of Science and Engineering and have enough credits to be considered a sophomore or greater for the 25-26 academic year, you can apply for SCSE College Wide Scholarships. College wide scholarships are open to students who are majoring in a program in the Swenson College of Science and Engineering.

If you are a UMD engineering student and have enough credits to be considered a sophomore or greater for the 25-26 academic year, you can apply for college wide scholarships and SCSE Engineering Scholarships. All engineering scholarships are in one application, so you won't find a scholarship application on your department website.

Students should also visit their department website to see what scholarships are available from their department. Campus-wide scholarships are available to UMD students. Information and applications can be found on the UMD One-Stop website.

Some scholarships require students to be registered full time for fall and spring semesters (12 credits is considered full time).

Some scholarships have a requirement for financial need. This must be demonstrated through a completed FAFSA. Please take the time to complete your FAFSA. Many students miss out on awards because they did not complete a FAFSA. Students who complete a FAFSA (UMD school code 002388) by the following dates increase their eligibility for institutional scholarships:

  • Incoming freshmen: February 1
  • Returning and transfer students: April 1

SCSE College-Wide and SCSE Engineering applications closed on February 28, 2025. Students have been notified via email in the spring if they have or have not received a college wide or engineering scholarship.

Engineering Scholarship applications opened on December 9, 2024 for the 25-26 academic year, and closed on February 28, 2025 at 4:30 pm.

College-Wide Scholarship applications opened on December 9, 2024 for the 25-26 academic year, and closed on February 28, 2025 at 4:30 pm.

Tips for applying for SCSE College-Wide and SCSE Engineering Scholarships

  • You will need your UMD login to apply
  • Complete your FAFSA application before the application deadline
  • Grammar and punctuation matter. Proof-read your essays!
  • Prepare your essays ahead of time. Essays should be between 250-500 words. Below are some essays you may be asked to submit.
    • An essay summarizing your experience, honors, awards and extracurricular activities. Include academic and personal achievements and aspirations.
    • SCSE College wide applicants will be asked to submit an essay for the Philemon and Baucis Scholarship. The essay should demonstrate interest and activities in fields outside of immediate study objectives. These areas should involve society, nature or an interaction between the two. Evidence of this might include: volunteer work with the elderly, mentoring programs, working in environmental causes, hiking the Superior Hiking Trail acting as a guide for the elderly, the incapacitated, or youths without woodland experience.
  • Answer every question. Each question relates to a scholarship and is used to help determine if a student is eligible for the scholarship. Be honest with your answers - we do double check.
  • Please be sure to go all the way to the end and submit your application

Department Scholarships

Please contact the department you are associated with directly as the ones listed below have different application procedures.

Other Awards

More Information

For information on Swenson College of Science and Engineering scholarships contact Carrie Kayes, Scholarship Coordinator for the Swenson College of Science and Engineering at [email protected].