S-STEM

The Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, better known as S-STEM, program provides institutions with funds to encourage and enable academically talented students with financial need to enter the workforce following completion of associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degrees in relevant fields of study.

The program was established by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in accordance with the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 and modified in 2004.  The Act reflects the national need to increase substantially the number of American scientists and engineers.

S-STEM emphasizes the importance of recruiting students to science and engineering disciplines and supporting students through degree completion, and partnering with employers to facilitate student career planning of the STEM workforce.  Participating schools are expected to support the goals of the S-STEM program including

•Improved educational opportunities for students;

•Increased retention of students to degree achievement;

•Improved student support programs at institutions of higher education; and,

•Increased numbers of well educated and skilled employees in technical areas of national need.

Students who are awarded scholarships must demonstrate academic talent and financial need.  In addition, they must be citizens, permanent residents, nationals or refugees.

It is expected that scholarship recipients will achieve at least one of the following by the end of the scholarship award:

•Receive an associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degree in one of the S-STEM disciplines;

•Transfer from an associate degree program to a baccalaureate degree program or from an undergraduate program in one of the S-STEM disciplines; or

•Successfully complete a stage within an associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degree program in one of the disciplines that, in the particular institution, is documented and described as a point of unusually high attrition.