Scholarships

Scholarships for aerospace engineering students


Here's a scholarship you can apply for in minutes.

Enter $2,000 scholarship Find more scholarships

Scholarships for aerospace engineering

Featured

Sallie $2,000 No Essay Scholarship

Due: 5/31/26
$2,000
Apply now
Find more scholarships

Key takeaways about aerospace engineering scholarhips

  • Aerospace engineering scholarships can come from colleges, nonprofits, government agencies, and aerospace organizations.
  • You may find scholarships tied to aviation, defense, robotics, or space-related careers.
  • Hands-on experience, STEM activities, and leadership can strengthen your applications — not just grades.
  • You can find funding opportunities whether you’re a high school senior, undergraduate student, or graduate student.
  • Completing the FAFSA® may help you qualify for additional scholarships and grants.

Aerospace engineering can lead to careers in aviation, robotics, defense systems, propulsion, satellites, and even space exploration. But technical degree programs can also be expensive, especially when you factor in tuition, lab fees, software, research opportunities, and project costs.

That’s why free money like scholarships and grants should be part of your plan early on.

Enter to win a $2,000 scholarship

No essay | Apply in 2 minutes or less
Enter $2,000 scholarship

If you’re searching for aerospace engineering scholarships, you’ll find opportunities based on academics, technical skills, project work, financial need, leadership, and long-term STEM career goals.

For many students, scholarships can make a real difference in how affordable college feels. In fact, Sallie Mae’s How America Pays for College 2025 study found that 75% of students who received a scholarship said it made college possible.

What are aerospace engineering scholarships?

These scholarships help you pay for college if you’re pursuing aerospace engineering or another related STEM major. Funding may come from colleges, aerospace organizations, nonprofits, government agencies, or private companies.

Unlike student loans, scholarships don’t need to be repaid. Some programs focus on academics, while others consider applied experience, leadership, technical activities, or financial need.

What scholarships are available for aerospace engineering majors?

If you’re pursuing an aerospace-related degree, you may qualify for funding through colleges, aerospace organizations, STEM foundations, government agencies, and private companies. Because this field is considered a high-demand STEM pathway, you can often apply for both aerospace-focused awards and broader engineering scholarships.

Many opportunities are open to students studying aerospace engineering, astronautics, aviation systems, robotics, mechanical engineering, physics, or related technical majors.

You may also qualify for aviation scholarships for college students, especially if your interests overlap with flight systems, aerospace technology, or advanced aviation research.

Scholarships may consider academics, engineering builds, leadership, project experience, financial need, and long-term career goals within aerospace and aviation industries.

Scholarships by category

Undergraduate aerospace engineering scholarships

Many awards are designed for undergraduate students pursuing bachelor’s degrees in aerospace engineering or related STEM majors.

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Scholarships

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics offers scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing aerospace-related degrees. These awards often support applicants with strong academics, leadership experience, and long-term interest in aerospace careers.

Vertical Flight Foundation Scholarships

The Vertical Flight Foundation supports students interested in vertical aviation technologies, including helicopters, drones, and advanced flight systems. These scholarships can be a strong fit if you’re interested in autonomous aviation or aerospace innovation.

STEM & engineering scholarships

You may also qualify for general STEM scholarships and national engineering scholarships because aerospace programs require advanced math, physics, and technical coursework.

SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program

The SMART Scholarship-for-Service Program supports STEM students interested in defense-related careers after graduation. Benefits may include tuition assistance, internships, stipends, and employment opportunities.

Aviation & space industry scholarships

Some scholarships are tied directly to aviation, aerospace, and space organizations.

National Space Club and Foundation Scholarships

The National Space Club and Foundation supports students interested in careers connected to space science, aerospace innovation, and engineering. Programs often prioritize STEM achievement, leadership, and interest in space exploration.

Some programs are specifically designed for students interested in careers within the growing commercial space sector.

Brooke Owens Fellowship

The Brooke Owens Fellowship supports women and gender minorities pursuing aerospace careers through internships, mentorship, and professional development opportunities.

These aerospace and aviation fellowships can also help you build industry connections early in your career.

Diversity scholarships in engineering

Some engineering scholarships are designed to help improve representation within STEM and aerospace fields.

Programs for women, underrepresented minorities, first-generation students, and other historically underrepresented groups may provide both financial support and mentorship opportunities.

You may also be able to combine diversity-focused awards with broader STEM funding opportunities to build a stronger financial aid package.

Research & innovation scholarships

Research-focused awards are common in this field because aerospace industries rely heavily on innovation and technical problem-solving.

AFCEA STEM Scholarships

AFCEA scholarships support students pursuing STEM degrees tied to engineering, aerospace systems, cybersecurity, and defense technologies.

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program

The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program supports graduate students pursuing advanced STEM research, including aerospace-related innovation and engineering research.

Scholly Scholarships

Find scholarships that are right for you

Easily search through thousands of college scholarships based on your background, major, state you live in, and more.

Hot tip! Smaller scholarships may have less competition, increasing your odds of winning.

Find scholarships now

How to qualify for aerospace engineering scholarships

Eligibility requirements vary, but many scholarships prioritize applicants who show technical ability, STEM rigor, and initiative outside the classroom.

Programs may consider GPA, coursework difficulty, engineering projects, robotics experience, lab work, leadership, internships, and extracurricular participation. Because aerospace programs are highly technical, committees often value hands-on problem-solving experience alongside academics.

Some scholarships also consider financial need and may require FAFSA® completion. Reviewing our FAFSA® guide can help you understand the process and what information you may need to provide.

Tips to win aerospace engineering scholarships

Highlight technical and research experience

Research labs, engineering builds, coding projects, robotics clubs, and technical competitions can strengthen your application and help demonstrate initiative.

Showcase your passion for aerospace

Talking about aviation, flight systems, robotics, or space exploration can help your scholarship essays feel more authentic and memorable.

Participate in STEM competitions

Engineering competitions, robotics programs, science fairs, and STEM clubs can help you demonstrate leadership, technical curiosity, and teamwork.

Apply to industry-specific scholarships

Aerospace-focused awards sometimes attract fewer applicants than broader national scholarships, which may improve your odds.

How scholarships reduce the cost of an aerospace engineering degree?

Technical degree programs can come with major expenses, including tuition, lab fees, software costs, and research materials.

Scholarships can help lower your out-of-pocket costs and make engineering school more manageable. That can be especially important in rigorous programs where balancing school and full-time work may be difficult.

Over time, scholarship funding may also improve long-term return on investment by lowering education costs upfront.

Other ways to pay for an aerospace engineering degree

Scholarships are usually just one part of a larger college funding plan. Students also use college grants, FAFSA®-based aid, paid internships and co-op programs, work-study opportunities, employer assistance programs, and student loans.

Paid engineering internships can be especially valuable because they may help offset education costs while also helping you build experience for future opportunities.

Careers you can pursue with an aerospace engineering degree

An aerospace engineering degree can lead to careers in aerospace engineering, systems engineering, aviation technology, defense technology, robotics, propulsion systems, satellite systems, and space systems engineering.

Many of these roles combine technical problem-solving with opportunities to work on flight systems, defense projects, robotics, or commercial space initiatives.

These careers may also offer strong long-term earning potential, especially within aerospace and aviation industries.

Additional resources for students

These scholarship resources may also help you find additional funding opportunities.

Your next steps

If you’re pursuing aerospace engineering, you have access to a broad scholarship landscape, especially if you search beyond general engineering awards.

Start with your target colleges, then add aerospace organizations, STEM foundations, NASA-related opportunities, and local scholarships to your search strategy. Applying consistently throughout the year can help you uncover opportunities you may have missed initially.

You can also explore quick-entry opportunities like Scholly® Easy Apply Scholarships, the $2,000 No Essay Scholarship, and the $5,000 No Essay Grad School Scholarship.

For scholarships tailored to your major, background, and interests, use Scholly® Scholarships to help streamline your search.

FAQs about aerospace engineering scholarships

Are there scholarships specifically for aerospace engineering students?

Yes. Many scholarships are designed specifically for applicants pursuing careers in aviation, robotics, defense, or space technology.

What GPA do you need for aerospace engineering scholarships?

Requirements vary, but many programs look for strong math and science performance along with internships, leadership, or technical experience.

Are there NASA scholarships for students?

NASA-related scholarship and fellowship opportunities may be available through university partnerships, internships, STEM programs, and research initiatives.

Can aerospace engineering students get full scholarships?

Some applicants may qualify for full-tuition or highly competitive merit scholarships, though many awards only cover part of college costs.

What should I include in an aerospace scholarship application?

Strong applications often include transcripts, resumes, essays, recommendation letters, project work, internships, and STEM activities.

Are aerospace scholarships competitive?

Some are highly competitive, especially national STEM scholarships. Applying broadly and consistently can improve your chances.

Do internships help you win engineering scholarships?

Yes. Internships, engineering projects, and research experience can strengthen your applications.

Can scholarships reduce student loan debt for engineering degrees?

Yes. Scholarships can lower out-of-pocket costs and reduce how much you may need to borrow for college.

Are there scholarships for women in aerospace engineering?

Yes. Programs like Society of Women Engineers scholarships and aerospace fellowships for women help support greater representation in STEM fields.

Where can I find aerospace engineering scholarships?

You can find opportunities through universities, aerospace organizations, STEM nonprofits, government agencies, defense contractors, and scholarship platforms like Scholly® Scholarships.

Are aviation scholarships available for aerospace engineering students?

Yes. Many aviation scholarships are open to students pursuing aerospace engineering, aviation systems, flight technology, or related STEM majors.

Need more money for college?

Private student loans can help you cover additional costs for school.
Learn more

No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. See Official Rules and Entry Periods on each scholarship page.

FAFSA® is a registered service mark of U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid.