Society of Women Engineers LA Scholarships

Society of Women Engineers LA Scholarships is sponsored by Los Angeles Section of the Society of Women Engineers. Offers scholarships to students enrolled in engineering programs at specified California universities, aiming to support both women and men in their engineering studies.

Scholarships - SWE Los Angeles Each year, the Los Angeles Section of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE-LA) administers scholarships funded by industry and individual donations to support SWE student members in their engineering studies and to help alleviate the financial burden.

A successful applicant must demonstrate high academic ability and show a keen interest in their professional development in the engineering field by participating in technical organizations, holding leadership positions, conducting research projects, or pursuing engineering or non-engineering related work opportunities.

The applicant is a problem solver, a committed doer, and an effective communicator who is an example to other students as a leader. Special consideration will be given to those with unique circumstances and financial need, as well as those who are re-entering students. A re-entrant is defined as a student who has been out of the engineering job market for at least two years.

Scholarships are available to all genders, but please note that some scholarships are only eligible for students who identify as women.

The applicant must currently be enrolled as a full-time sophomore, junior, or senior in an engineering curriculum leading to a bachelor’s degree at a collegiate SWE section affiliated with the Los Angeles professional SWE section ( Cal Poly Pomona, Caltech, Cal State LA, Cal State Northridge, Harvey Mudd, Loyola Marymount, UCLA, or USC ).

Graduating Senior applicants will be required to provide proof of graduate school applications and, if awarded, evidence of graduate school admission for the fall. The applicant must be a paid SWE student member in good standing. Two-time recipients are not eligible to apply and cannot receive a third scholarship from SWE-LA.

Current graduate students can explore the Graduate Student Scholarship page or reach out to the Graduate Academia Chair ( graduateacademia [email protected] ) for further opportunities. SWE Endowment Scholarship Must have a minimum 3. 0 GPA.

Sharon Cascadden Memorial Scholarship Must have a minimum 3. 0 GPA. Highest priority goes to students re-entering school, with preference to CSUN, then UCLA, then all other schools.

If no re-entry students apply, priority goes to non-freshman CSUN, then UCLA, then all other students. For more information on Sharon Cascadden and the goals of this scholarship, click here . SWE-LA Section Scholarship Must have a minimum 3.

2 GPA. ONLY open to students who identify as women. SWE-LA Volunteer Scholarship Must have a minimum 2.

5 GPA. Must have demonstrated strong community service and/or outreach. SWE National Scholarships Requirements and deadlines are individual to each scholarship.

For more information (including how to apply), click here . Note: These scholarships are NOT independent to SWE-LA, and are separate from the section-specific awards listed above. 2026 Scholarship Deadline All applications are due Friday, March 13, 2026 .

Instructions for Applicants To be accepted for judging, an applicant must submit all required items electronically by Friday, March 13, 2026. Applicants must submit the Google form scholarship application , transcript(s), resume, proof of paid SWE membership, and proof of graduate school applications and/or acceptance (if applicable, i.e., senior applicants).

Recommendation letters are optional (but strongly recommended); each person serving as a reference needs to submit his/her/their own letter directly to the email address below. Be sure to fill out the names of the references on the application, so the letters can be matched correctly.

The applicant is responsible for seeing that all necessary information (completed application form, transcript(s), resume and letters of reference) is submitted by the deadline. The applicant will be disqualified from judging, with no further follow-up, if these instructions are not followed. *Applicants receiving other scholarships and/or previous Society of Women Engineers scholarships are eligible to apply.

**Copies of recommendation letters submitted for other scholarships are acceptable, as long as they are up-to-date and reflect the student’s current academic achievement and professional development. Email all items by Friday, March 13, 2026 , to [email protected] . COMPLETED APPLICATION FORM: Please fill out the application on Google form: SWE-LA 2026 Collegiate Scholarship Application Application includes three applicant essays .

The length of each essay is limited to 500 words (12 pt. font) and should describe the applicant’s feelings on the following: Why the applicant decided to study engineering and why he/she chose their particular major. Why the applicant has applied for the SWE-LA scholarship.

What the applicant considers their most important achievement to date. TRANSCRIPT: A copy (pdf version) of the applicant’s transcript must show grades for the entire enrollment in current school (unofficial transcripts are acceptable). Additional transcript(s) required from prior college or university where courses were taken towards current engineering degree.

RESUME/CV: A PDF copy of your resume should be attached and submitted along with your other application materials. PROOF OF PAID SWE MEMBERSHIP : A copy of your dues payment or screenshot from your swe. org profile (click “My Member Subscriptions” and must show the “paid through date”).

SWE REFERENCE LETTER (Optional, Recommended): Letter of reference from a Professional SWE member in good standing detailing your contributions to SWE. Letter must be dated in the application year and emailed to [email protected] , if it is not uploaded to the application form.

REFERENCE LETTER 2 & 3 – (Optional, Recommended) : Letter of reference from an engineering professor, a faculty advisor detailing the applicant’s academic performance, an employer (present or former), or someone closely associated with any extra-curricular activities (such as a coach or faculty sponsor). Applicant’s employment need not be connected with engineering.

Letter(s) must be dated in the application year and submitted in the application form; if received after the deadline, the reference letter may be emailed to [email protected] . PROOF OF GRADUATE SCHOOL APPLICATIONS AND/OR ACCEPTANCE (IF APPLICABLE) : If the applicant is a graduating senior and will be pursuing an advanced graduate degree next academic, year, please send a copy of your graduate school application and/or admission.

Please note that, if selected, the applicant will be required to provide proof of admission before receiving the scholarship. Note: Submit all additional documents to [email protected] .

The below shows the weights of the various parts of the scholarship application: 40% SWE involvement, other volunteering/leadership/engineering experience SWE involvement will be prioritized It is encouraged to write about different aspects to showcase a holistic view of the applicant March 13, 2026 – Applications Due Mid-March 2026 – Interviews Conducted Late March 2026 – Recipients Notified April 2026 – Scholarships awarded Please email [email protected] with any general questions and email [email protected] with any questions specific to potential graduate student opportunities!

You can also visit the Graduate Student Scholarship page for more information on the SWE-LA Graduate Scholarships.