District Scholarships

District Scholarships

Overview
Each of AWS's 22 Districts has a pool of $15,000 to award to students residing or attending school within the District boundaries.

Eligibility

• Most importantly, you must enroll in a welding-related educational or training program.
• You must be a high school graduate or possess a GED equivalent.
• You must reside in and attend school within the boundaries of an AWS District, which includes the Continental United States and portions of Canada and Mexico. View the AWS District and Section Map here.
• You must complete the scholarship application and provide any additional documentation as required by the application’s instructions.
• Some District Scholarships require you to be an AWS member while others do not. To apply for an AWS Student Membership, please visit the Student Membership page.

Eligibility Requirements
For specific eligibility requirements, please refer to the specific scholarship application by visiting the Scholarship Application System.

Submission Deadline
The deadline for receiving applications at the Foundation office is March 1st. Scholarships are usually awarded from May to June; the funds are made available for the coming fall term.

Application Process
Filling out the scholarship application is a relatively easy process.  The form is self-explanatory; it clearly states what kind of information is needed to apply. Make sure that you fill out the form completely. The more information you provide, the easier it will be for the District Scholarship Committee to determine your eligibility.

In addition to completing the application, you will need to enclose the following:

• Cost of Attendance
  You must upload a summary of your school costs, which may include tuition, fees, books, or supplies required for the course of instruction.
• Transcript(s)
  You must submit official or unofficial transcripts from the school you most recently attended, which may be your high school, trade school, college or university.
• Personal Statement 
  Write down your ambitions, goals, background and other factors that will help the selection committee understand your commitment to pursuing welding education. If you have had prior welding experience, you must indicate how your proposed welding curriculum and chosen school will help you fulfill your educational goals.

Selection

• The District Scholarship Committee determines who receives each District Scholarship.
• All correspondence about District Scholarships will come via mail and email. You will receive an email informing you of the District Scholarship Committee’s decision about whether or not you’ve received a District Scholarship.

Awards
The scholarship funds awarded through the AWS District Scholarship Program can be used for tuition, fees, books, supplies, or equipment required for the course of instruction. They will be payable directly to the recipient’s school.

It’s Important to Remember

• An approved scholarship is valid until May 31 of the following year. That means if you decide not to use your scholarship for the fall semester, you could still use the funds during the spring term.
• If you do not use the entire scholarship by May 31, the remainder will be returned to the AWS Foundation Scholarship Fund.
• You need to re-apply each year to be considered.
• If you change your field of study to something other than welding, you will forfeit any future assistance from the AWS Foundation.

Questions

If you have any questions, please contact foundation@aws.org.