Eligibility Requirements

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Scholarships & Graduate Awards

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Scholarship applications are being accepted from 01 October to 31 January


Undergraduate Scholarships

Applicants for an AIAA Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship shall meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • Must be a current AIAA Student member in good standing
  • Must have completed at least 1 academic semester of full-time college work
  • Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.300 on a 4.000 scale unless otherwise noted
  • Unless otherwise noted, applicants must be enrolled in an accredited college or university within the United States or U.S. Territories
  • Applicant's education plan shall be such as to provide entry into some field of science or engineering encompassed by the technical activities of AIAA

Exceptions and Additional Requirements

Scholarship

Scholarship Specific Requirement

AIAA Lockheed Martin Marillyn Hewson Scholarship: $10,000*
  • Must have a minimum G.P.A. of 2.50 on a 4.00 Scale
  • Must be a U.S. Citizen
  • Must identify as female
  • Must be a high school senior or undergraduate student enrolled in an aerospace-related degree program under a major designated on the application form
  • Must demonstrate financial need
  • Show interest in the aerospace defense industry
Daedalus 88 Scholarship 
  • Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.500 on a 4.00 scale
David and Catherine Thompson Space Technology Scholarship
  • Must be studying a field to enter the Astronautics industry
Vicki and George Muellner Scholarship for Aerospace Engineering
  • Must be studying a field to enter the Aeronautics industry
Wernher von Braun Scholarship
  • None
Digital Avionics Scholarships
  • Dr. Amy Prichett Digital Avionics Scholarship (none)
  • Dr. James Rankin Digital Avionics Scholarship (none)
  • Ellis F. Hitt Digital Avionics Scholarship (none)
  • Cary Spitzer Digital Avionics Scholarship (none)
  • Denise Ponchak Digital Avionics Scholarship (must be a non-U.S. student attending a non-U.S. university)
Space Transportation Scholarship
  • Should demonstrate an interest in space transportation
Leatrice Gregory Pendray Scholarship
  • Female Applicants only
Rocky Mountain Section Scholarship
  • Must be enrolled in an accredited college or university within the Rocky Mountain Section (to include Colorado, Wyoming and Montana)
  • Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.000 on a 4.000 scale

Graduate Awards

Applicants for an AIAA Foundation Graduate Award shall meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • Must be a current AIAA Student member in good standing
  • Must have completed at least one (1) academic quarter or semester of full-time graduate-level college work and have a research topic approved
  • Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.300 on a 4.000 scale unless otherwise noted
  • Must be enrolled in an accredited college or university within the United States or U.S. Territories
  • Applicants for the Orville and Wilbur Wright Graduate Award and the Luis de Florez Graduate Award may be enrolled in any accredited college worldwide*
  • Applicant's education plan shall be such as to continue graduate work in some field of science or engineering encompassed by the technical activities of AIAA

Exceptions and Additional Requirements

Award

Award Specific Eligibility

Abe M. Zarem Graduate Award for Distinguished Achievement
  • Must be researching a topic related to Aeronautics or Astronautics
Neil Armstrong Graduate Award
  • Must be a US Citizen
  • Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.000 on a 4.000 scale
Orville and Wilbur Wright Graduate Award
(International Students encouraged to apply)
  • Must be enrolled in any accredited college or university worldwide
Luis de Florez Graduate Award
  • Must be researching a topic related to Flight Simulation
Guidance, Navigation and Control Graduate Award
  • Must be researching a topic related to Guidance, Navigation and Control 
John Leland Atwood Graduate Award
  • None
Martin Summerfield Propellants and Combustion Graduate Award
  • Must be researching a topic related to Propellants and/or Combustions
Gordon C. Oates Air Breathing Propulsion Graduate Award
  • Must be researching a topic related to Air Breathing Propulsion 
William T. Piper, Sr. General Aviation Systems Graduate Award
  • Must be researching topics related to General Aviation Aircraft 

How does AIAA calculate cumulative G.P.A.? Cumulative G.P.A. is calculated using the following formula:

(# of credit hours from previous college X GPA at previous college) + (# of credit hours completed so far at current college X GPA at current college) = SUM

THEN

SUM divided by total credit hours from both colleges = combined G.P.A

Judging

  • Judging for AIAA Foundation-sponsored awards and scholarships is done by the Scholarship Selection Subcommittee of the Student Activities Committee.
  • Judging for Section or Technical Committee-sponsored awards and scholarships is done by sponsoring Technical Committees or Sections
  • All decisions made by the scholarship selection committees are final
  • If a selection committee determines there is not a qualified applicant for a particular year, the scholarship will not be awarded
  • Plagiarism – any essay responses or collateral materials should be the original work of the applicant. Any portion of an application that is found to be plagiarized will disqualify the application from any further review.

Deadline

  • Online applications must be received by 2359 hrs EST, 31 January
  • Letters of recommendation are due by 2359 hrs EST, 14 February

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we are unable to make exceptions to these rules.

*This award is subject to all applicable laws, including US export laws. US law prohibits AIAA from awarding graduate award prize money to persons residing in Iran, Cuba, North Korea, Crimea, Sudan, or Syria.