Top Scholarships for Women in STEM with Upcoming Deadlines in 2024

About scholarships for women in STEM

Women have made vast progress in the academic world, now outnumbering their male peers, yet they are still underrepresented in many fields. STEM jobs in particular, especially the highest-paid STEM fields and positions, are still male-dominated. Women make up only 28% of the science and engineering workforce despite being 50.2% of the college-educated workforce. 

Women do make up the majority of certain fields, such as social sciences, and have reached parity in others, such as biology. However, high-paying fields such as mechanical engineering and computer science are still overwhelmingly male, with women engineers making up only 9% of mechanical engineers and roughly 20% of civil engineers.

Women are also less likely to pursue a STEM degree than men due to lack of representation and the stigma that women in STEM usually face. 7% of female graduates in 2016 earned a STEM degree while 15% of male college students did the same.

Due to the employment gap in STEM education between male and female workers, there are many scholarships available to support women as they pursue degrees and careers in STEM. 

To help you fund your education and overcome gender obstacles, we’ve created this list of scholarships just for women in STEM. You can click on any of the scholarships above to start applying! While this list is a great place to start your scholarship search, you can find even more exclusive scholarship opportunities on bold.org.

Sign up here and check which scholarships you are eligible to apply for right now.

Gender distribution in STEM

Even though women currently make up half of the college-educated workers' population, they are highly underrepresented in STEM. As stated above, women make up only 28% of science and engineering workers despite being 50.2% of the college-educated workforce. Gender distribution varies among different jobs in science and tech, but women in engineering are severely underrepresented as only 15% of engineers are women.

Part of the reason for this prominent gap is generational gender bias. Women are less likely to be selected for entry-level STEM work and are 30% less likely to receive an interview than men with the same experience and qualifications. Women who do find entry-level work are also paid an average of $4,000 less than male counterparts with the same qualifications.

Discrimination in entry-level work makes it even more difficult for women to achieve equal representation in higher levels of STEM, leading to only 18% of leadership positions being held by women. Additionally, many women believe they are not treated equally when it comes to promotion opportunities. Only 38% of women in STEM who work in male-dominated workspaces believe that they are treated fairly for advancement opportunities.

While STEM is still male-dominated, the proportion of women in STEM has been increasing in recent years. Between 1993 and 2015, the number of women working in engineering increased from 9% to 15%. Additionally, the number of women in physical sciences rose from 21% to 28% over the same period.

The Persistent Wage Gap in Science and Tech

In 2015, median annual salaries of full-time male and female workers in science and engineering revealed a large wage gap. The median income for men was $86,000 per year, but only $57,000 for women. This gap can partially be explained by the fact that women in STEM are often in lower-paying sections of science and tech.

For example, women make up the majority of only 15 of 100 STEM majors, and these majors, such as animal science and biology, tend to be the lower-paid fields as compared to male-dominated industries such as engineering, physics, and computer science.

STEM is the way of the future and it's imperative we have a diverse set of minds tackling the most pressing issues in science and engineering to bring variation and efficiency to the table.

How do I qualify for women in STEM scholarships?

It's important to put time and effort into your scholarship applications, so you want to be sure you're eligible before you spend time preparing your application. Read on for the necessary qualifications to apply for scholarships for women pursuing STEM.

Must identify as a woman

Although there are many scholarships that do not have gender qualification, women in STEM scholarships require that students identify as a woman. This is due to the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields. If you do not identify as a woman, you can check out other STEM scholarships on the Bold.org website.

Must be in a STEM field

In order to qualify for the scholarships listed above, you must be studying in a STEM field. If you are planning to study science, technology, engineering, or mathematics, you may qualify for these scholarships.

Some scholarships will have additional requirements, such as requiring that applicants demonstrate financial need, are undergraduate students, are women of color, etc. The eligibility requirements of each scholarship are listed in the description.

Double-check the eligibility requirements of each scholarship

Some scholarships will have additional requirements besides just being open to women enrolled in STEM programs. Some scholarships are specifically for incoming freshmen or other female undergraduate students, some are for female high school students, and others are for women pursuing a graduate degree.

Additionally, some scholarships aim to encourage women in specific programs, such as women pursuing careers in electrical engineering, biological or physical sciences, mechanical engineering, computer science, or other fields. Be sure to check the specific requirements of each STEM scholarship to ensure that you are eligible to apply.

What types of STEM scholarships are available for female students?

There are many different types of STEM scholarships available on Bold.org to help women pursue a STEM education. Some do not have a gender requirement, such as the Educate the SWAG “Dare to Dream” STEAM Scholarship. Others are for people of a certain race or ethnicity, such as the Undergraduate Minorities in STEM Scholarship.

Some scholarships are for specific fields within STEM. For female students who study technology or computer science, there are scholarships like the Elevate Women in Technology Scholarship. For women in mathematics, scholarships like the Learner Education Women in Mathematics Scholarship are a great option. Other fields within STEM also have scholarships that you can apply to in addition to more general STEM scholarships.

Some scholarships are even more specific. For students who identify as Christian and are studying technology or computer science, there is the Faith and Tech Scholarship. For high school seniors, there are scholarships, like the Caring Chemist Scholarship, that are specifically for high school students.

Whatever your identity is, there are plenty of scholarships that cater to you. You just have to find them.

How do I find STEM scholarships for female students?

You can start your scholarship search on Bold.org, where you can find hundreds of different scholarships to help you attend college.

You can filter the scholarships by category to find specific scholarships that you're eligible for. Choosing the "STEM" category will provide you with a list of scholarships for those studying STEM. Additionally, choosing the "Women" category will provide you with a list of scholarships for female students.

Furthermore, you can filter by education level to find scholarships open to you, whether you're a high school senior, pursuing an undergraduate degree, or a graduate student. There are opportunities for all kinds of young women who need a STEM scholarship.

When should I start applying for STEM scholarships

High school is a great time to start scouting and applying for college scholarships. Many scholarships are available for high school students or exclusively for high school seniors. You can look at Bold.org's list of scholarships for high school seniors to find scholarships specifically for high school students.

But don’t worry if you haven’t started your search yet! Many college students are just starting their search, and there are plenty of scholarship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. For more information on finding scholarships in college, take a look at this guide on Bold.org's website.

How to apply for women in STEM scholarships

To start applying for scholarships for women in STEM, create your free Bold.org profile. Then, click on any of the scholarships above and apply. Some scholarships may require you to write an essay before you apply, in which case you may need to spend more time on your application.

Tips for winning STEM scholarships for female students

Searching for scholarships to fund your college education can be overwhelming. Luckily, we're here to help you find and win scholarships specifically created for women pursuing careers in STEM. Keep reading for our best tips for winning scholarships for female STEM students.

Apply early

By applying for scholarships earlier, you can guarantee that you are able to apply for a wide range of scholarships. If you are in high school, there may be specific scholarships that are only available for high school students, so start searching and applying as soon as possible

Apply to as many scholarships as you can

Often, applying to multiple scholarships helps your chances of winning. Apply to any scholarships you are eligible for to give yourself the greatest chances of winning financial aid. No-essay scholarships are a great option due to the quick application process.

Apply to scholarships with specific requirements

If you are a woman of color or an LGBTQ+ person in a STEM field, finding scholarships that are looking for these specific demographics might change your chances of winning due to the limited eligibility pool. Additionally, some scholarships look for people within a certain state or city. Try to find scholarships that are specific to your identity, because these will have fewer people applying.

Make sure your essay is clear, concise, and exciting

If the scholarships you are applying to require an essay, make sure that you check your essay for spelling and grammar mistakes and make sure that your message is concise. Beyond that, don't forget to make your essay unique. If your essay stands out, you may be more likely to win.

Frequently Asked Questions About Women in STEM Scholarships

What is considered a STEM degree?

A STEM degree is an undergraduate or graduate degree in science, technology or computer science, engineering, or math. There are many different STEM fields, such as computer engineering, physical sciences, computer sciences, and mathematics.

How do you get more women in STEM?

Our mission with these scholarships is to incentivize female students to pursue STEM degrees and to break down the generational barriers that have been holding women back. By showing women in science that there are resources and support available, female students can be encouraged to pursue STEM careers. Additionally, scholarships offered specifically to women in the most underrepresented STEM fields can help women finance their education and break into the most male-dominated, highest-paying fields.

An additional way to increase the number of women in STEM is to highlight female role models in the field. Furthermore, corporate boards in STEM are overwhelmingly male, with women making up only 16% of board members. Female mentorship is essential to support and guide women pursuing STEM, since many are turned away from STEM due to isolating experiences in predominantly male classrooms and work environments, resulting in 32% of women in STEM leaving their job within the first year.

What percentage of STEM majors are female?

While more women are pursuing STEM, most STEM students are still male-dominated. Of all the STEM graduates in 2016, only 37% were female. The gender gap is even more notable when considering that women now make up more than half of college graduates, at around 53%. This means that around 600,000 more women graduated in 2016 than men, yet men still made up 63% of students graduating with a STEM degree.

While the gender gap varies across the many different STEM majors, most are predominantly male, especially for highly paid fields. For example, women make up only 21% of engineering majors and just 19% of computer science majors.

By providing women in STEM with scholarships, we aim to encourage women to pursue STEM majors, including those that are the most male-dominated, in order to close the gender gap.

Do I need a specific GPA to get a STEM scholarship?

Every scholarship has specific eligibility criteria and some do have minimum GPA requirements. However, most scholarships in the above list have no GPA restrictions, so feel free to apply no matter what GPA you have!

What are the easiest scholarships for women in STEM to get?

All of the listed scholarships are easy to apply to with your Bold.org profile, but if you’re looking for quick applications, try no-essay scholarships. While many of the scholarships above do require a short essay, they have limited eligibility which increases your chances of winning. Scholarships that are available only for women in STEM have limited application pools, and several scholarships have field limitations, such as engineering or math, which further restricts eligibility and increases your chances. You can find more easy to apply scholarships here.

Are women in STEM scholarships only for high school seniors?

Senior year of high school is a great time for young women to start taking charge of their college funding. However, there are scholarships available for all education levels, including undergraduate women and female graduate students.

What scholarships are available for female students studying STEM?

There are many different scholarships available for young women seeking a STEM education. Beyond the scholarships listed above, you can also find more women in STEM scholarships using Bold.org's scholarship search feature.

How many women in STEM scholarships can you get?

There’s no limit to the number of scholarships you can win on Bold.org. There are hundreds of scholarships available for high school and college students, so apply for as many scholarships as you are able to!

Are scholarships taxable income?

Scholarship money from Bold.org is sent directly to your college or university and is not considered taxable income. If you’re not yet in college, we’ll hold your award money in an account for you until you enroll.