7 Scholarships for Women in Tech

Diversity in tech has the power to build an inclusive staff and introduce new ways of thinking that can spark solutions and innovative products. But, historically, diversity has been a problem for this industry, especially when it comes to the gender gap.

As educators, we assume a massive responsibility to empower more women to join tech and give them the tools, resources, and inspiration they need to forge paths in an industry that hasn’t always been on their side. We recognize that, but we’re also proud to be at the forefront of creating more opportunity for anyone who seeks out this career.

Scholarships for women in tech are one of the best solutions offered to women pursuing careers in this historically male-dominated industry. The good news? There are tons of them out there, for all different career paths and from all different types of organizations. Let’s take a closer look at just a few of the options available.

The Current Gender Landscape in Tech

In the tech world, diversity has been a bit of an uphill battle. Historically, it's been mostly white men on the software engineering scene, and honestly, not much has changed. A 2022 global survey tells us that a whopping 91.88% of software engineers are men. And specifically in the United States, it's not much better, with just 22% of software engineers being women.

Now, let's zoom in even more. Black women make up only 3% of the entire female workforce in technology, and for Hispanic/Latinx women, it's just 2%. There’s been some progress, and the number of women working in software engineering has been increasing, but the industry is still a long way from more balanced representation. 

Why Tech Scholarships for Women Are So Important

Tech scholarships for women are crucial because they help level the playing field. They fund the education of current and future women in the industry to help fuel its growth over time as well as drive diversity, equality, representation, and inclusion.

Here's why they matter:

• Equality: Tech scholarships make sure that women have the same chances as men to pursue careers in technology.
• Expanding Access: Scholarships help expand access to education for women who otherwise wouldn’t have had it, particularly those in communities that don’t offer tech education or who don’t have the means to offer it to students.
• Inspiration: Scholarships can inspire more women to consider tech careers. When they see others succeed, they're more likely to believe they can do it, too.
• Economic Opportunities: Tech jobs often pay well. By helping women enter this field, scholarships help provide women with better access to lucrative economic opportunities.

In a nutshell, tech scholarships for women help open doors that were once closed. They make tech a more inclusive and vibrant place where everyone has a chance to thrive.

7 Tech Scholarships for Women to Jumpstart Their Careers

Here’s our list of scholarships for women who are exploring careers in the tech industry. All eligibility requirements and award amounts were current as of this writing, but please refer to all scholarship websites and pages for the most up to date information.

7. VIP Women in Technology Scholarship (WITS)

This scholarship was created by the information technology management firm, Visionary Integration Professionals (VIP). Since the founding of the scholarship in the mid 2000s, VIP has given out scholarships to more than 150 women.

This scholarship program offers multiple $2,500 awards to female students who are currently pursuing a degree in computer science, information management systems, or other IT-related fields. Here are the additional eligibility criteria:

• Applicants must identify as a woman.
• Applicants must be enrolled at, or accepted into, either a two or four‐year college or university within the United States for the current upcoming school year (at the time of award). 
• Students must be enrolled for classes at a college or university within the United States for the Fall semester (at the time of scholarship payment). 
• Students must be planning a career in computer science, information technology, management information systems, or another related field.

6. Elevate Women in Technology Scholarship

This scholarship is funded by former technology executive Calvin Rosser. He founded this scholarship to move the tech industry in the right direction and empower the next generation of female leaders.

This scholarship awards $500 to women at any education level and in any field of study, as long as they intend to pursue a career that leverages technology with the aim of making the world a better place.

5. MPower Women in STEM Scholarship

The Women in STEM Scholarship funded by MPower Financing was created to directly address inequality in education. The program focuses specifically on women who are non-U.S. citizens who will use their STEM degree to benefit society and serve as role models for the next generation of women in STEM.

The scholarship offers three different awards:

• Grand prize: $6,000
• Runner-up prize: $2,000
• Honorable mention prize: $1,000

Applicants must also:

• Identify as a woman
• Be accepted at, or enrolled in, a full-time degree program at a U.S. or Canadian school that MPower supports
• Be an international student allowed to legally study in the U.S. or Canada

For legal study in the U.S., students should either have a valid visa that permits study, be protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, or be a U.S. permanent resident (Green Card holder). For legal study in Canada, students should be a Canadian permanent resident or have a valid Canadian study permit.

4. AWS Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning (ML) Scholarship Program

This scholarship program, formed from a partnership between Amazon Web Services and Udacity, aims to help underrepresented students (both high school and college) learn foundational concepts that can help prepare them for careers in tech, specifically in artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Each year, 2,000 scholarships are awarded specifically for the Udacity “AI Programming with Python” Nanodegree program. 500 of the top performing students in this program can earn a scholarship for a second, more advanced Nanodegree in deep learning and concepts of machine learning engineering. Recipients also receive mentorship and career development opportunities.

Any student over the age of 16 that self identifies as underserved or underrepresented in technology, and is currently enrolled in high school or college, is eligible to apply.

3. Palantir Women in Technology

The Palantir Women in Technology Scholarship was established in 2010 to support and celebrate those women who were just beginning their careers in technology. The goal of the scholarship is to encourage women to pursue studies and professional development in tech-related fields, becoming leaders and role models.

Each recipient of the scholarship is awarded $7,000 to put toward their education. Recipients are also invited to participate in professional development workshops and may have the opportunity to interview for internship and full-time job openings.

To be eligible for this scholarship, you should be:

• A woman
• An undergraduate student actively enrolled in an accredited U.S., Canadian or Mexican college/university during the academic years that the scholarship is awarded
• A freshman, sophomore, or junior majoring in or planning to major in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a closely related technical field

2. Young Women in STEM Scholarships

The Young Women in STEM Scholarship is funded by Stephanie Hagopian, who seeks to empower women to pursue careers in information technology, cybersecurity, or other related fields. This scholarship program specifically seeks to encourage women from low-income backgrounds to become the future generation of women in STEM.

Three recipients are chosen, and each is awarded $5,000. To be eligible, you should meet the following requirements:

• Identify as coming from a low-income background
• Identify as a woman
• Be enrolled as a high school senior or undergraduate student
• Major in or plan to major in a STEM-related field

1. App Academy’s Access Scholarship

Remaining Access Scholarships only available to women & underrepresented minorities residing in San Jose, CA.

We’d be remiss not to mention our own scholarship, designed for women and other underrepresented communities in tech. We’re pretty proud of it! 

The Access Scholarship was created by Facebook, who partners with a coding bootcamp each year to offer their prospective students scholarship money. For the first time ever, Facebook doubled their money for App Academy because they firmly believe in our mission and success. We have $500,000 in scholarship money available for women as well as Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Native American, and Alaskan Native applicants.

The Access Scholarship award will cover up to 50% of tuition for accepted candidates. (This amount has recently been increased from an original $5,000 award!)

Tips for Finding & Applying to Scholarships

To succeed in securing scholarships for your tech career in the STEM field, here's a winning strategy:

• Embrace Your Unique Status & Individuality: As a woman in a male-dominated field, your underrepresented status can work in your favor. Explore niche opportunities related to your interests and hobbies. Highlight what makes you unique. Your heritage, culture, artistic talents, or community service can set you apart.
• Plan Ahead: Prioritize scholarship applications alongside your other commitments, as they can significantly ease your financial burden. Scholarships usually have annual deadlines. Even if you miss one, mark your calendar to apply next year.
• Online Presence Matters: Polish your online presence, as scholarship donors often check it. Audit and clean up your social media, and create a professional LinkedIn profile or website to showcase your tech skills.
• Avoid Silly Mistakes: Attention to detail matters. Avoid spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors in your application and essays.
• Recommendations Are Key: If the scholarship you’re interested in requires recommendation letters, provide your recommenders ample time and information. Share the scholarship details, your strengths, and your resume to help them craft compelling recommendations.
• Cast a Wide Net: Apply for numerous scholarships, not just the big ones. Smaller awards can add up and ease your financial burden.

At App Academy, Diversity is Important to Us

There are challenges of being a woman in tech, but at App Academy, we’re working to minimize those challenges and help close the representation gap of female software engineers.

To learn more about our programs, explore our curriculum or get in touch with an Admissions Specialist. To learn more about our diversity initiatives, visit our Diversity & Inclusion page.

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