Scholarships for Civil Engineering Students

Graduate without the Debt and Work in an Exciting Career

Civil Engineers play a vital role in creating and maintaining the infrastructure that makes modern civilization possible. They design and build transportation systems, flood barriers, water reclamation plants and irrigation systems. Civil Engineers are directly involved with addressing the many ways our modern towns and cities flourish within our natural environment. Students pursuing degrees and careers in Civil Engineering may find themselves working for local, state or Federal governments, as well as private industry.

Civil Engineering offers a wealth of exciting professional opportunities. Students interested in Civil Engineering as a career path will find that it requires an extensive education that takes in a number of diverse fields and subjects. A degree in Civil Engineering will take time, hard work, and a considerable financial investment.

Fortunately, there are a large number of scholarship opportunities available to help Civil Engineering majors find the money they need to supplement their college fund. These scholarships are supported by businesses and professional associations, as well as by colleges and universities with extensive Civil Engineering departments.

Civil Engineering Scholarships from the Private Sector

A wide variety of scholarship opportunities for Civil Engineering majors are supported by businesses and professional associations across the country. Many of these programs target students pursuing degrees and careers in specific engineering disciplines closely allied to the sponsor’s company or organization. A good number of a scholarships sponsored by professional organizations are designed to encourage and support women and minorities who are interested in pursuing Civil Engineering as a professional career. The majority of private sector scholarships for Civil Engineering majors are merit-based, though some programs may also take a student’s financial status into consideration.

The following examples are typical of the types of Civil Engineering scholarships available from professional organizations.

• The American Society of Civil Engineers offers an extensive selection of scholarships for both undergraduate and graduate students. The Lawrence W. and Francis W. Cox Scholarship is open to undergraduate students enrolled in an ABET accredited program at a participating college or university. The maximum award amount is $5000. The Y. C. Yang Civil Engineering Scholarship is available to undergraduates in their junior or senior year of an ABET accredited program. Maximum awards are $2000. The Arthur S. Tuttle Memorial Scholarship is offered to graduate students working towards their Master’s degree in Civil Engineering at an accredited college or university. Maximum awards are $2000. These and many other programs are offered through the ASCE. Scholarship applicants must be student members of the society, and must submit letters of recommendation, essays on their ultimate career goals, transcripts and test scores to be considered for any award.
• The American Council of Engineering Companies of New York offers an annual scholarship for students in their third or fourth year of a mechanical engineering, structural engineering or civil engineering program. Applicants must be attending an accredited engineering school in New York state, and must show their intentions to maintain residence within the state. Awards are determined by academic achievement and work experience. Award amounts vary.
• The Association of State Dam Safety Officials offers an annual Senior Undergraduate Scholarship for Civil Engineering students pursuing degrees related to hydraulics, hydrology and the design and construction of dams. Applicants must have a minimum 2.5 GPA for their first three years of college, and must be recommended by their academic adviser. The maximum annual award amount is $10,000.
• The Society of Women Engineers is dedicated to increasing opportunities for women in all fields of engineering. The SWE offers an annual scholarship for women pursuing ABET accredited baccalaureate or graduate degrees in civil engineering, engineering technologies and computer sciences. Award amounts vary depending on course of study, and school of attendance.
• The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers offers a General Scholarship for students of Hispanic descent who are pursuing degrees in science, engineering, technology or mathematics. Awards range from $1000 to $3000. Scholarships are determined on the basis of merit and financial need.

Civil Engineering Scholarships from Colleges and Universities

Colleges and universities are a prime source of scholarships for Civil Engineering majors. Schools routinely offer scholarships to talented students as a way of attracting the best and the brightest to their campuses. Again, like most private sector scholarships, programs offered by colleges and universities are predominantly merit-based, although some campus-based scholarships may consider financial need as a deciding factor. Students should contact their college’s office of financial aid for information on scholarship programs for which they may be eligible.

The following campus-based scholarships are examples of the programs offered by colleges and universities for Civil Engineering majors.

• The University of Kentucky College of Engineering offers a number of merit-based scholarships for both undergraduate and graduate students. More than a hundred scholarships are awarded every year for students enrolled in the University’s Civil Engineering Department. Award amounts vary, and are determined on the basis of academic achievement, SAT and ACT scores, writing ability and leadership potential.
• The University of Minnesota Department of Civil Engineering offers an extensive selection of scholarships for students pursuing degrees in civil engineering or geoengineering. Eligible students must be enrolled full time at a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester. While the majority of scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit, a few scholarship are offered every year for minorities, women, and first generation college students. Award amounts vary.
• South Dakota State University offers a wide range of scholarships for students enrolled in the university’s civil and environmental engineering programs. The university sponsors fifty different scholarship programs for its attending undergraduate and graduate students. Current programs include the SPN Endowed Scholarship in Civil and Environmental Engineering, the Dean Schuneman Memorial Scholarship in Civil Engineering, the South Dakota Water and Wastewater Association Scholarship for Environmental Engineering Studiesand the Carollo Engineers Scholarship in Civil and Environmental Engineering Graduate Studies. Award amounts vary, and are determined on the basis of academic merit.
• Purdue University School of Civic Engineering offers a variety of scholarships and fellowships for Civil Engineering majors. The Greeley and Hansen Elmer F. Ballotti Memorial Fellowship is given to graduate students working towards a Master’s degree in environmental engineering. The School of Civil Engineering Scholarship is a merit-based award offered to undergraduate students enrolled in the university’s civil or environmental engineering programs. The Martin J. Gutzwiller Memorial Scholarship is offered to senior undergraduates pursuing a degree in structural engineering. More than fifty different scholarship programs are currently being administered by Purdue’s offices of financial aid.

Civil Engineers play an integral part in building and maintaining our country’s infrastructure. Students who are pursuing a degree and a career in Civil Engineering have chosen a field that offers a diverse array of professional opportunities, from local industry to national building and preservation projects. Civil Engineering is an exciting career path that offers great rewards, both financial and personal. Students pursuing degrees and careers in Civil Engineering will find a vast array of scholarship opportunities designed to help them realize their professional ambitions.