USGIF Scholarship Program

USGIF Scholarship Program is sponsored by United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF). This opportunity supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes.

USGIF Scholarship Program | USGIF USGIF has awarded more than $2M in scholarships since 2004 Support USGIF's Scholarship and Education Programs Apply for a USGIF Scholarship USGIF Scholarship applications will reopen for the Fall 2027-Spring 2028 early next year. The USGIF Scholarship Program supports individuals who demonstrate a passion for geospatial intelligence, geospatial sciences, and related disciplines.

Successful applicants receive financial assistance to pursue their education and achieve their academic goals. Graduating high school seniors, undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students studying Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) and related disciplines including geospatial science, remote sensing, intelligence studies, earth science, and more are encouraged to apply.

Virtual Information Sessions Virtual Information Sessions have concluded for the 2026/2027 Scholarship year. Information Sessions will reopen at the beginning of the 2027/2028 Scholarship year. USGIF awards N amed S cholarships in partnership with generous organizations and individual donors.

The high-impact awards below are designed for specific research areas, geographic regions, and skillsets. Named Scholarships may have additional criteria. Please review the following information.

If you have any questions or are unsure if you qualify, contact education@usgif. org. Watch to discover the program's impact in the words of our leadership, supporters, and USGIF Scholarship recipients past and present.

Stu Shea Endowed Scholarship $15,000 scholarship for one doctoral student studying geospatial, selected annually. Eligible applicants must be U.S. citizens. Reinventing Geospatial, Inc. (RGi) Scholarship for Geospatial and Engineering $15,000 scholarship for one undergraduate student with interest in both the engineering and geospatial disciplines, selected annually.

Eligible applicants must be U.S. citizens. Ken Miller Scholarship for Advanced Remote Sensing Applications $10,000 scholarship for one master’s student working in or planning to enter the defense/intelligence workforce, selected annually. Eligible applicants must be U.S. citizens.

Black Cape Scholarship for Students in Geospatial Intelligence $10,000 scholarship for one undergraduate student studying geospatial intelligence or a related field, selected annually. Vantor Scholarship for Innovation in GEOINT $10,000 scholarship for one undergraduate or graduate student who brings an innovative perspective to the GEOINT field, selected annually.

AWS Scholarship for Leadership in GEOINT $10,000 scholarship for one undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral student studying a GEOINT-related field who embodies AWS’s commitment to developing the next generation of leaders, selected annually. Learn more about USGIF's Scholarship and Education Programs, including ways to support.

GDIT Horizons Scholarship $10,000 scholarship is awarded annually to one graduating high school senior who intends to study STEM with an emphasis on artificial intelligence, machine learning, cyber security, or geospatial-related fields. Students attending community colleges are especially encouraged to apply. Scholarship recipient is also guaranteed an interview for a GDIT internship.

Leidos Scholarship for AI/ML Advancement $10,000 scholarship for one graduate or doctoral student who uses artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, or machine learning for geospatial research, selected annually. Future Geospatial Innovator Award $10,000 scholarship for one undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral student applying emerging technologies for geospatial solutions, selected annually. Globe Building St.

Louis Scholarship $5,000 scholarship for one undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral student studying geospatial or a related field at a St. Louis area college or university, selected annually. Westway Services Scholarship for Veterans $5,000 scholarship for one undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral student studying geospatial or a related field who is also a veteran of the United States Armed Forces, selected annually.

Frequently Asked Questions Q: When do scholarship applications open and close? A: Scholarship applications open Sunday, January 18th 2026. Applications will close on Sunday, April 5th, 2026 Q: Who can apply for a USGIF scholarship?

A: From graduating high school seniors to those pursuing a Ph. D. , USGIF has scholarship opportunities for students in many stages of their education.

While USGIF is a geospatial intelligence foundation, we invite students from a range of academic interests to apply. Our current cohort members come from myriad disciplines. U.S. Citizenship is not required for the general scholarship fund, nor is it required for many of our sponsored scholarships.

Awards that require U.S. citizenship will be listed as such. Awardees must attend a school in the United States, unless a USGIF international partner institution. International students attending a U.S. school are eligible.

Q: Do scholarships automatically renew? What if I got an award in the past? A: Scholarships do not automatically renew.

If you receive an "annual" award, annual refers to the award being given annually. Students who receive a USGIF scholarship and would like to receive another in the new cycle will need to reapply. Being a past awardee does not automatically guarantee you will be selected in the future.

Students who have received a USGIF scholarship, sponsored or general, are eligible to reapply so long as they meet other criteria. Q: Are there enrollment, GPA, or institutional requirements to apply? A: USGIF will consider students with a GPA above 2.

5. We do not require a minimum number of enrollment hours to qualify, nor do we have restrictions on majors and minors. Students from a variety of educational institutions including community colleges, technical colleges, traditional four-year universities, and other post-secondary institutions are eligible.

Students must be enrolled in a program for the fall semester to receive an award. USGIF awards cannot be deferred and USGIF does not give awards directly to students. Q: What steps or items are required to apply for a USGIF scholarship?

A: Students interested in a USGIF scholarship should complete the general application. The general application covers each "category" of education with funds available - graduating high school senior, undergraduate, graduate, and Ph. D.

Applicants should complete only one of the general applications. For students who may identify with more than one of these categories, please reach out to us for guidance. Applicants should be prepared to submit letters of recommendation, their most recent school transcripts, and to answer several short answer (250-word) questions.

Undergraduate, graduate, and Ph. D. candidates must also submit an essay.

Certain categories of applicants may be asked to submit a resume or CV . We recommend beginning your application early to allow enough time to submit all the required pieces. Applicants can start, save, and return to their application at any time.

As a best practice, USGIF recommends completing applications on a laptop or desktop computer, not a mobile device. Q: I would like to apply for a Named Scholarship, are there additional requirements? A: Students interested in one of USGIF’s many Named Scholarships are not required to complete a separate application.

Applicants will complete the general application and may opt-in to each opportunity. However, if you would like to be considered, you may be asked to provide demographic information, answer specific prompts, or address the scholarship’s focus in an essay. Please read the application carefully and familiarize yourself with the requirements.

Named Scholarships are not combinable with the general scholarships. Q: Can I begin my application and come back to it? A: Yes, students can begin their application and pause and save at any time.

Q: How will winners be selected? A: USGIF employs a volunteer panel of experts to serve as our selection committee. Each member will review applications and score them on a peer-to-peer basis.

For example, undergraduate students will only be scored relative to other undergraduate students, etc. A ranking system is in place to ensure an equitable approach to evaluation. Each application will have a distribution of points available. Please read the “evaluation guidelines” section of the application carefully.

Q: When will I know if I’ve been selected? A: USGIF will notify all applicants of their award status (awarded or not awarded) by the end of June, before the fall semester begins. Please note, USGIF scholarships do not auto-renew.

Students who receive awards are eligible to reapply when the next scholarship cycle begins. Q: What costs can a USGIF scholarship cover? A: USGIF will first work with your school to apply the scholarship award to your tuition costs.

Scholarship awards are divided between the fall and spring semesters. If there are funds left over after tuition has been covered each semester , students will be directly refunded any remaining award money. If a s tudent receives a refund, they may use the award to cover housing, books, technology needs, or other expenses related to being a student.

It is the awardee's responsibility to understand their financial aid packages and impacts of external awards like those from USGIF, and to work directly with their school's financial aid department to ensure funds are properly applied to their account. Q: Are there requirements for students post-award? A: Awardees are asked to supply a headshot, short bio, and testimonial about their acceptance.

These items are published on USGIF's website and individual profiles of awardees are posted on LinkedIn throughout the year. We are proud of our awardees and love sharing their accomplishments with the community. Awards may require students to provide periodic academic updates.

Students will always be notified of any additional requirements in advance. Lastly, it is the awardee's responsibility to understand their financial aid packages and impacts of external awards like those from USGIF, and to work directly with their school's financial aid department to ensure funds are properly applied to their account. Q: Have a question that is not listed above?

Please note, USGIF's staff cannot provide individualize guidance on the application or its components. We recommend consulting a trusted academic advisor, professor, or other figure on specifics of the application not addressed above or in the information sessions. This website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages.