SWE's Emerging First Year Scholars application (the track for graduating high school seniors) requires an intended ABET-accredited major in engineering, engineering technology, or computer science and a GPA of 3.5+; one application automatically considers the student for SWE's full pool of 100+ named 'Society-Selected' scholarships (individual named awards ranging roughly $1,250-$6,000+), on top of separate scholarships run by local SWE sections. SWE awarded nearly $1.6 million across 330+ scholarships in 2025. At least one letter of recommendation is required, and a personal-statement/essay component is standard for this application.
Eligibility
Fields of studyEngineering · Engineering Technology · Computer Science
DemographicsEligibility for the Emerging First Year track: entering first year of college or a current high school senior, intent to enroll in an ABET-accredited program, and a GPA of 3.5 or higher. The published criteria do not state a gender requirement, though SWE's mission and branding have historically focused on women in engineering; students should confirm SWE's current gender-eligibility policy directly with SWE. Separate SWE local sections (Detroit, Golden Gate, Houston, etc.) run additional high-school scholarships with their own criteria.
Applying
No single fixed amount is published for the Emerging First Year track; one application enters the pool of SWE's 100+ named Society-Selected scholarships, individually ranging roughly $1,250-$6,000+, plus separate section-run awards with their own amounts.