Scholarships

Scholarships for software engineering students


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Scholarships for software engineering

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Sallie $2,000 No Essay Scholarship

Due: 5/31/26
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Key takeaways about software engineering scholarships

  • Software engineering scholarships can come from colleges, tech companies, and nonprofits.
  • Many computer science, coding, and STEM scholarships also apply to software engineering students.
  • Coding projects, GitHub portfolios, hackathons, and internships can strengthen your applications.
  • FAFSA® completion may help unlock additional scholarships and need-based aid.

Software engineering can lead to careers in app development, cloud computing, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and other fast-growing tech fields. But earning a software engineering or computer science degree can also be expensive, especially when you factor in tuition, lab fees, equipment, certifications, and internship time.

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

If you’re searching for scholarships for software engineering students, you’ll find opportunities based on academics, coding skills, leadership, financial need, technical projects, and long-term career goals in technology.

The effort can be worth it. Sallie Mae’s "How America Pays for College 2025" found that 75% of students who received a scholarship said it made college possible.

Scholarships available for software engineering students

Software engineering students can qualify for a wide range of scholarships, including awards for computer science, coding, STEM, cybersecurity, and other technology-related fields. Some scholarships are designed specifically for software engineering majors, while others support broader tech and engineering career paths.

Unlike student loans, scholarships don’t need to be repaid.

Scholarships can come from:

  • Colleges and universities
  • Technology companies
  • Professional associations
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Community foundations
  • Diversity-focused STEM initiatives
  • Research programs and innovation competitions

Depending on the scholarship, eligibility may be based on:

  • Your intended major
  • GPA or academic performance
  • Coding or programming experience
  • Technical projects or GitHub portfolios
  • Leadership or extracurricular involvement
  • Financial need
  • Research interests
  • Career goals in technology

Search broadly. In addition to checking your school’s financial aid office, tools like Scholly® Scholarships can help you find opportunities that match your background, major, and interests.

Scholarships by category

Undergraduate software engineering scholarships

Many scholarships support students pursuing bachelor’s degrees in software engineering, computer science, or related technology fields.

Generation Google Scholarship

The Generation Google Scholarship supports students pursuing computer science and software engineering degrees. The program focuses on students who demonstrate leadership, academic achievement, and commitment to improving representation in technology.

SMART Scholarship for Service Program

The SMART Scholarship for Service Program supports STEM students, including software engineering and computer science majors, who are interested in working in national security and defense-related careers after graduation.

Computer science and coding scholarships

Software engineering students may qualify for many scholarships that use broader terms like “computer science,” “coding,” or “technology.”

Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship

The Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship supports students pursuing degrees in computer science, software engineering, or related technical fields. Recipients may also receive mentorship or internship opportunities.

STEM and engineering scholarships

Broader STEM and engineering scholarships can also help software engineering students pay for school.

Society of Women Engineers scholarships

The Society of Women Engineers offers scholarships to students pursuing engineering, computing, and technology-related degrees at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program

The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program supports graduate students pursuing advanced STEM research, including software engineering, computing, data science, and AI-related work.

Diversity scholarships in tech

Some scholarships are specifically designed to support women, first-generation students, LGBTQ+ students, and students from underrepresented backgrounds in technology.

Adobe Women-in-Technology Scholarship

The Adobe Women-in-Technology Scholarship supports women pursuing careers in software engineering, computer science, and related technical disciplines.

Black at Microsoft Scholarship

The Black at Microsoft Scholarship supports high school seniors pursuing degrees in engineering, computer science, or technology fields.

Company-sponsored tech scholarships

Technology companies and nonprofits often sponsor scholarships tied to innovation, technical skills, or future workforce development.

Lockheed Martin STEM Scholarship

The Lockheed Martin STEM Scholarship supports students pursuing engineering and computer science degrees, especially those with financial need.

AFCEA STEM Majors Scholarship

AFCEA scholarships support students pursuing STEM majors related to cybersecurity, computing, engineering, and technology.

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How to qualify for software engineering scholarships

Eligibility varies by scholarship, but common requirements often include:

  • Enrollment at an eligible college or university
  • Intended or declared software engineering, computer science, or related major
  • GPA or strong academic performance
  • Coursework in math, computer science, or engineering
  • Coding projects or technical portfolios
  • Leadership or extracurricular involvement
  • Internship, freelance, or work experience
  • FAFSA® completion for need-based aid

Some scholarships may also require essays, letters of recommendation, a resume, coding samples, GitHub repositories, research summaries, or project descriptions.

If a scholarship asks for technical experience, don’t panic if you haven’t built a huge app yet. Smaller class projects, websites, coding competitions, or personal projects can still strengthen your application.

Tips to win software engineering scholarships

Build a strong technical portfolio

Your technical portfolio can help show scholarship committees how you apply your skills in real-world situations.

You can include:

  • GitHub repositories
  • Apps or websites you built
  • Open-source contributions
  • Coding competition projects
  • Class assignments
  • AI or machine learning experiments
  • Technical documentation

Even simple projects can demonstrate curiosity, initiative, and problem-solving ability.

Participate in hackathons and competitions

Hackathons and coding competitions can strengthen your applications because they show applied technical skills, teamwork, and creativity.

You don’t need to win major national events to benefit. School competitions, local coding events, and online hackathons can still help demonstrate experience.

Highlight internships and experience

Internships, freelance work, tutoring, research assistance, or campus IT jobs can help show practical experience.

If you’ve solved technical problems, worked on team projects, or helped build software tools, include those examples in your applications.

Apply to niche tech scholarships

Broader national scholarships can attract thousands of applicants. Applying to more specific scholarships for coding, cybersecurity, women in tech, first-generation students, or software engineering majors may improve your odds.

Consistency matters more than finding one “perfect” scholarship.

How scholarships can help make a software engineering degree more affordable

Software engineering degrees often have strong long-term earning potential, but college costs can still add up quickly.

Scholarships can help reduce:

  • Tuition costs
  • Housing expenses
  • Technology or equipment costs
  • Certification fees
  • Borrowing needs

Even a few smaller scholarships can reduce the amount you may need to cover through savings, work income, or student loans.

Many students combine scholarships, grants, paid internships, work-study, family support, savings, and student loans to create a layered college funding strategy.

Other ways to pay for a software engineering degree

Scholarships are important, but they’re only one part of the financial aid picture.

Grants and federal aid

Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) can help determine your eligibility for grants for college, state aid, work-study, and need-based institutional aid. For step-by-step help, review our FAFSA® guide.

Paid internships and co-ops

Software engineering students may have access to paid internships or cooperative education programs that help offset education costs while building experience.

Employer tuition assistance

Some employers offer tuition reimbursement or educational assistance for employees pursuing technical degrees or certifications.

Student loans

After scholarships, grants, and other aid are considered, student loans may help bridge remaining education costs when needed.

Careers you can pursue with a software engineering degree

A software engineering degree can prepare you for careers across many industries, including healthcare, finance, cybersecurity, entertainment, and AI.

Potential career paths include:

  • Software engineer
  • Web developer
  • Mobile app developer
  • DevOps engineer
  • Cloud engineer
  • Cybersecurity engineer
  • Data engineer
  • Machine learning engineer
  • Systems developer
  • QA automation engineer

Additional resources for students

Your next steps

Software engineering students have access to a broad scholarship landscape, so staying organized can help you move faster. Start with the colleges you’re considering, then expand your search to coding scholarships, STEM programs, diversity-focused tech awards, and company-sponsored opportunities.

Keep your scholarship search moving with opportunities like Scholly® Easy Apply Scholarships and the $2,000 No Essay Scholarship. These lower-effort scholarships can help you build momentum while you continue applying for more targeted software engineering and tech awards.

You can also use Scholly Scholarships to search for scholarships based on your major, background, coding interests, and career goals. If you’re still comparing schools, Scout College Search can help you explore colleges that may fit your academic and financial goals.

FAQs about software engineering scholarships

Are there scholarships specifically for software engineering students?

Yes. Many scholarships support software engineering students directly, while others are open to broader computer science, coding, STEM, or technology majors.

What GPA do you need for software engineering scholarships?

Requirements vary, but many scholarships look for a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Some programs place more emphasis on technical skills, leadership, or projects.

Can coding projects help you win scholarships?

Yes. Coding projects, GitHub repositories, apps, hackathons, and technical portfolios can help demonstrate your skills and initiative.

Are there scholarships for computer science and software engineering students?

Yes. Many scholarships are open to both computer science and software engineering students because the fields overlap heavily.

Do tech companies offer scholarships for students?

Yes. Many technology companies and foundations offer scholarships for students pursuing software engineering, computer science, cybersecurity, and related tech careers.

Are software engineering scholarships competitive?

Some are highly competitive, especially national STEM scholarships. Applying to niche or local scholarships may improve your chances.

What should I include in a software engineering scholarship application?

Common materials include transcripts, essays, resumes, recommendation letters, coding projects, technical portfolios, or GitHub links.

Can scholarships reduce student loan debt for tech degrees?

Yes. Scholarships can lower the amount you may need to pay out of pocket or borrow through student loans.

Are there scholarships for women in tech?

Yes. Many organizations and companies offer scholarships specifically for women pursuing careers in software engineering and technology.

Where can I find software engineering scholarships?

You can search through colleges, tech companies, professional associations, local organizations, and scholarship platforms like Scholly Scholarships.

Are there easy or no-essay scholarships for software engineering students?

Yes. Some scholarships use simple applications or random drawings instead of essays. Options like the $2,000 No Essay Scholarship can be a helpful way to keep applying consistently.

Can graduate students apply for software engineering scholarships?

Yes. Many scholarships support graduate students pursuing master’s or PhD degrees in software engineering, computer science, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, or related fields.

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