Learning to code is a tremendously marketable skill that improves the way you think and can make for an entertaining hobby as well. A young person who learns to code is almost certainly setting themselves up for professional and personal success later on in life.
Coding is an exciting component of computer science that high school students can learn early, and there are plenty of scholarships available for students willing to apply themselves.
Coding is an important element of computer science, which is why this article will focus on computer science and general STEM scholarships; coding itself does not require a college degree, but computer science does. The requirements to apply for scholarships vary based on who is sponsoring the funds. Common requirements include high academic performance/GPA and a demonstrated financial need for assistance.
General Coding Scholarships
The Generation Google Scholarship is a primarily essay-based scholarship for students who excel in academics but might be limited in their ability to pursue higher education because of their current financial situation. This program is not limited to students from minority backgrounds, but students from these backgrounds are especially encouraged to apply. To apply for this scholarship you need to already have been accepted to a bachelor’s degree program in computer science or a related field. Recipients of this scholarship will receive $10,000 if they are in the US; Canadian recipients receive $5,000.
The National Society of High School Scholars awards ten $1,000 scholarships to high school seniors intending to attend college and major in a STEAM field (science/medicine, technology, engineering, arts, or mathematics). The application requires a resume, transcript, and letter of recommendation. Interested applicants must also submit an essay explaining why they want to pursue a career in STEAM and what drew them to their chosen line of work. There is also a $10,000 scholarship available for students who present projects at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair. If you’re curious, you can see previous winners of this scholarship and all submitted abstracts to learn more about the projects that students have previously submitted for consideration.
Coding Scholarships for Minorities
Black high school students have several scholarships available. A few of these are the Black at Microsoft Scholarship and the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) STEM Scholarship. Both programs require the submission of a resume, a high school transcript, and letters of recommendation. The Black at Microsoft scholarships are for high school seniors with a minimum 3.0 GPA who plan to study engineering, computer science, computer information systems, or business. Up to 55 are awarded each year: five $5,000 awards, renewable for up to three years, and fifty one-time $2,500 awards.
The UNCF Scholarship requires a 3.0 GPA or higher and while awardees can be given up to $25,000, it is designed as a “last dollar” scholarship. This means that recipients are given an amount based on their family’s contribution to their education, other scholarships and grants they may have been awarded, and other financial aid they are eligible to receive. This amount is typically agreed upon by the UNCF and the financial aid office of the college to which you have been admitted. After this amount has been calculated, the scholarship then gives students up to $2,500 per year for their freshman and sophomore years, then $5,000 for their junior and senior years.
The Undergraduate Minorities in STEM Scholarship supports underrepresented minority undergraduate students pursuing STEM degrees at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with a GPA of at least 3.0. Check the linked scholarship page for the current award amounts, application deadline, and essay requirements.
Female students have the opportunity to apply for the VIP Women in Technology Scholarship. Recipients are awarded up to $2,500, and applicants now submit a short video instead of an essay. Their leadership skills, academic achievement, and community involvement are also evaluated to determine who will be given this scholarship. The Learner Education Women in Mathematics Scholarship of $1,000 is given to one winner. Current high school seniors are eligible to apply. They must submit an essay that describes their interest in mathematics and how it has shaped their view of the world.
Learn Coding in NextGen’s Summer Classes
If you’d like to boost your resume in advance of applying for scholarships, you can look into NextGen Bootcamp’s coding classes for high school students. NextGen Bootcamp offers in-person coding courses in Manhattan and live online coding classes that can be attended remotely from anywhere. You can also review the full list of coding courses for high school students on NextGen’s website if you’d like to learn more.
