USGIF has awarded more than $1.6M in scholarships since launching the program in 2004.
Applying for USGIF Scholarships
- Scholarship applications open on January 23, 2023.
- Students can visit USGIF’s scholarship application portal to apply.
- The components required for scholarship application are:
- Two letters of recommendation
- Most recent school transcript
- Short answer questions
- Write an essay
- Scholarship applications will close on May 31, 2023.
- USGIF will notify applicants of award decisions at the beginning of July 2023.
USGIF in Partnership with Member Organizations Offers Sponsored Scholarships
USGIF awards general scholarships to graduating high school seniors, undergraduates, graduates, and doctoral students. In addition to USGIF’s regular scholarship fund, we offer sponsored scholarships in coordination with member organizations. USGIF works with the awarding organization to tailor the scope of the scholarship to meet the goals of the organization and the needs of the GEOINT community.
These sponsored scholarships may have additional criteria for applicants to meet in order to apply. For each sponsored scholarship, please review the information to see if you qualify. If you have any questions about sponsored scholarships or are unsure if you qualify, email education@usgif.org for more information.
Stu Shea USGIF Endowed Scholarship
$15,000 annual scholarship awarded to a Ph.D. student studying geospatial.
Ken Miller Scholarship for Advanced Remote Sensing Applications
$10,000 annual scholarship awarded to one master’s student working in or planning to enter the Defense/Intelligence workforce.
Reinventing Geospatial, Inc. (RGi) Scholarship for Geospatial and Engineering
$10,000 annual scholarship awarded to one undergraduate student with interest in both the engineering and geospatial disciplines.
Maxar Scholarship for Diversity and Innovation in GEOINT
$10,000 annual scholarship awarded to one undergraduate or graduate student who embodies Maxar’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, and belonging and brings an innovative perspective to the GEOINT field.
EVONA Scholarship for Diversity in STEM
$10,000 annual scholarship awarded to one undergraduate student from a diverse gender and racial background pursuing a geospatial, data science, or space-focused degree.
AWS Scholarship for Inclusive Leadership in GEOINT
$10,000 annual scholarship awarded to one undergraduate, graduate, or Ph.D. student studying a GEOINT-related field who embodies AWS’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Leidos Scholarship for AI/ML Advancement
$10,000 annual scholarship awarded to one graduate or Ph.D. student who uses artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, or machine learning for geospatial research.
GDIT Horizons Scholarship
$10,000 annual scholarship awarded to one graduating high school senior who intends to study a STEM or geospatial-related field. First-generation college students, students attending community college, or students from a diverse background are particularly encouraged to apply.
GeoFutures STL Scholarship
$10,000 annual scholarship awarded to one undergraduate or continuing education (certificate program, trade/vocational school, etc.) student interested in geospatial or related fields who is from the St. Louis area or studying at a St. Louis region institution.
Frequently Asked Questions
A: Scholarship applications open on January 23, 2023, and close on May 31, 2023
A: From graduating high school seniors to those pursuing a PhD, 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. Past winners come from myriad disciplines.
A: USGIF will consider students with a 2.5 GPA and higher for scholarships. We do not require a minimum number of enrollment hours to qualify. Students from a variety of educational institutions including community colleges, technical colleges, traditional four-year universities, and other post-secondary institutions are eligible
A: Applicants should be prepared to submit two letters of recommendation and 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.
A: Students interested in one of USGIF’s many sponsored scholarships are not required to submit additional documents or essays. However, if you would like to be considered, you may be asked to provide demographic information or address the scholarship’s focus in the essay you write. Please read the application carefully and familiarize yourself with the requirements of sponsored scholarships.
A: Yes, students can begin their application and pause and save at any time.
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.
A: USGIF will notify all applicants of award decisions in early July 2023
A: USGIF will work with your school to first apply the scholarship to your tuition costs. Scholarship awards are generally 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 student receives a refund, they may use the award to cover housing, books, technology needs, or other expenses related to being a student.
Send an email to scholarships@usgif.org and we will answer your question there. We are also hosting a virtual information session on Monday, May 8, 2023, from 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. ET. Applicants can learn more about the various scholarships offered, the application process, and have questions and concerns addressed by the team behind the scenes!