Computer Science Scholarships for College

Computer Science Scholarships, Costs & ROI Snapshot

This snapshot pulls from CollegeWhale’s scholarship database and planning tools to show how many scholarships are available for Computer Science majors, the total dollars listed, and how early-career pay compares to typical college costs.

Scholarships in Our Database

We currently list 50 active scholarships tied to Computer Science programs, sourced from professional groups, nonprofits, and private sponsors. New awards are added regularly.

Total Scholarship Dollars Listed

The scholarships currently listed total approximately $548,250 in advertised award value. Many programs offer renewable or variable awards, so available funding may be higher over time.

Early-Career Pay & ROI

Early-career median pay for Computer Science graduates is about $115,000 per year. We estimate a typical 4-year net college cost around $108,584.

That means first-year earnings are roughly 106% of total college cost, with an estimated payback period of 0.9 years (before taxes and living expenses).

Computer Science Scholarships to Apply for Now (Scholarship FastFind™)

The CollegeWhale Scholarship FastFind™ makes it easy to discover the best Computer Science scholarships — fast. Filter by award amount, deadline month, and estimated time to apply, then instantly download your personalized list. No sign-ups, no personal info, no spam — just real, verified scholarships.

1

Betty Stevens Frecknall Scholarship

The Betty Stevens Frecknall Scholarship is awarded to undergraduate students pursuing degrees in computer science, information systems, or related technology fields. Established in honor of Betty Stevens Frecknall, a pioneering woman in computing, this scholarship recognizes students who demonstrate academic

Award: Varies Deadline: May Est. Application Time: Low (28 min)
2

ESET Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship

The ESET Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship is designed to support and empower women pursuing careers in cybersecurity and related STEM fields. Now in its 11th year, this scholarship aims to help close the gender gap in the cybersecurity workforce by

Award: $10,000 Deadline: April Est. Application Time: High (103 min)
3

LinkedIn Possibilities in Tech Scholarship

The LinkedIn Possibilities in Tech Scholarship is designed to support students with bold ambitions who are pursuing careers in technology. Created to expand access to the tech workforce, this scholarship goes beyond financial support by offering long-term guidance, skill development,

Award: $40,000 Deadline: Rolling Est. Application Time: Low (10 min)
4

SENEDIA Scholarships

The SENEDIA Scholarships are a set of awards offered by SENEDIA® (Southeastern New England Defense Industry Alliance) to support students pursuing education in fields that are integral to the defense, technology, engineering, and advanced manufacturing sectors. These scholarships recognize academic

Award: Varies Deadline: March Est. Application Time: Med (88 min)
5

The Adobe Creativity Scholarship

The Adobe Creativity Scholarship is a global initiative by Adobe to support young creatives — artists, designers, filmmakers, storytellers, social-impact advocates — who intend to pursue higher education in creative fields. The program recognizes that creativity can be a powerful

Award: $25,000 Deadline: Rolling Est. Application Time: Med (83 min)
6

The Design Circle Scholarship by Adobe

The Adobe Design Circle Scholarship is a global initiative by Adobe in partnership with Institute of International Education (IIE), aimed at supporting and mentoring aspiring designers from diverse backgrounds. The program seeks to increase diversity and inclusion within the design

Award: $25,000 Deadline: Rolling Est. Application Time: High (128 min)
7

NOAA Ernest Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship

The Hollings Scholarship provides significant financial support and professional development opportunities for undergraduate students interested in the oceanic, atmospheric, environmental, and related sciences, engineering, technology, and education fields. The program aims to expand undergraduate training in areas relevant to the

Award: $9,500 Deadline: January Est. Application Time: Med (48 min)
8

Lounge Lizard Scholarship Program for Web Design 

The Lounge Lizard Scholarship Program for Web Design supports students who demonstrate passion, creativity, and potential in the areas of web design, digital art, interactive media, or user experience. This scholarship is offered by a professional digital marketing and web

Award: $1,000 Deadline: December Est. Application Time: Med (38 min)
9

AFCEA Educational Foundation STEM Major Scholarship

The AFCEA Educational Foundation offers the STEM Major Scholarship to support full-time undergraduate students in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) majors who demonstrate strong academic performance, leadership potential and interest in fields such as cybersecurity, communications, intelligence or homeland

Award: $2,500 Deadline: May Est. Application Time: Med (48 min)
10

Teradata H.O.P.E. in Tech Scholarship

The Teradata H.O.P.E. in Tech Scholarship is designed to help students who have faced significant challenges and are pursuing degrees in STEM fields. By providing this financial support, Teradata seeks to foster a more inclusive and diverse technology industry, ensuring

Award: $2,500 Deadline: May Est. Application Time: Low (10 min)
11

(SMART) Scholarship-for-Service Program

The Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship-for-Service Program, funded by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), provides merit-based scholarships to students pursuing bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees in approved STEM disciplines. In addition to full tuition coverage, recipients

Award: Varies Deadline: August Est. Application Time: Low (10 min)
12

Emma Bowen Foundation Fellows Program

The Emma Bowen Foundation (EBF) Fellows Program offers competitive, multi-year, paid summer internships for students of color in the media, technology, and business sectors. Fellows engage in immersive, hands-on training at leading companies in areas such as Business (e.g., marketing,

Award: Varies Deadline: May Est. Application Time: Low (10 min)

Computer science scholarships support students studying software engineering, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science, machine learning, computer engineering, and related computing disciplines. Because many CS programs require advanced coursework in algorithms, systems, and mathematics—along with unpaid internships, research commitments, and project development—targeted scholarships can reduce overall tuition costs while recognizing technical ability.

Funding in computer science is often tied to academic performance, documented coding experience, research involvement, diversity initiatives, or workforce development programs. Many scholarships are administered by technology companies, professional computing organizations, research agencies, and university departments.

Computer Science Scholarships for High School Students

High school seniors planning to major in computer science can apply for national technology scholarships before entering college. Competitive applicants typically demonstrate coding proficiency, project development, robotics involvement, or participation in programming competitions.

  • NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing: Recognizes female and non-binary high school students with achievements in computing. Includes national and regional awards.
  • Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship: Provides $40,000 in college funding plus a paid internship opportunity.
  • Lockheed Martin STEM Scholarship: Awards $10,000 annually to students pursuing STEM majors including computer science.
  • Davidson Fellows Scholarship: Offers up to $50,000 to students under 18 who complete significant technology or scientific projects.

Strong applicants usually submit coding portfolios, GitHub repositories, robotics work, hackathon participation, or research projects in addition to transcripts and recommendations.

Scholarships for Women in Computer Science

Several established programs support women pursuing degrees in computer science and related technical fields.

  • Women Techmakers Scholars Program: Awards up to $10,000 to women in computing who demonstrate technical excellence and leadership.
  • Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Scholarships: Distributes more than $1 million annually in awards ranging from $1,000 to $15,000 for engineering and computing students.
  • NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Awards: Recognizes computing achievement at both high school and college levels.
  • AnitaB.org Grace Hopper Celebration Scholarships: Funds attendance at the Grace Hopper Celebration conference for women in computing.

Most of these programs require academic strength, demonstrated technical engagement, and involvement in computing communities.

Undergraduate Computer Science Scholarships

Undergraduate funding often prioritizes students who have already demonstrated technical competency through coursework, internships, research, or project development.

  • Google Lime Scholarship: Awards up to $10,000 to students with disabilities studying computer science or related fields.
  • Microsoft Tuition Scholarships: Provides merit-based awards for students in computer science and computer engineering programs.
  • Generation Google Scholarship: Awards $10,000 to underrepresented students pursuing computing degrees.
  • Apple Scholars Program: Provides scholarship funding and mentorship to students from underrepresented communities in STEM.

Undergraduate reviewers often look for:

  • Strong performance in algorithms, data structures, systems, and discrete math
  • Documented coding projects or open-source contributions
  • Internship or research experience
  • Leadership in technical organizations or coding groups

Scholarships for Black Students in Computer Science

Several national programs focus on increasing Black representation in technology fields.

  • Blacks at Microsoft (BAM) Scholarship: Provides $5,000 renewable awards to high school seniors entering STEM majors.
  • UNCF STEM Scholars Program: Offers up to $25,000 in financial support along with research and internship opportunities.
  • Code2040 Fellows Program: Combines paid internships, mentorship, and professional development for Black and Latinx students in tech.

These programs often combine funding with professional mentorship and internship placement.

Fully Funded Computer Science Scholarships for International Students

International students pursuing graduate study in computer science may qualify for fully funded programs that cover tuition, living expenses, and research support.

  • Fulbright Foreign Student Program: Covers tuition, living expenses, and travel for graduate study in the United States.
  • DAAD Scholarships (Germany): Provides stipends and support for master’s-level CS study.
  • ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship: Covers tuition and provides a living stipend for high-achieving international master’s students.
  • Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program: Fully funds African students at partner institutions offering computing degrees.

Fully funded programs are highly competitive and typically require strong academic records, research direction, and leadership involvement.

Computer Science Grants and Research Funding

In addition to scholarships, many CS students receive grants supporting research, innovation, or project development.

  • National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU): Funds summer research placements in computing-related labs.
  • Department of Defense SMART Scholarship: Covers full tuition and provides a stipend in exchange for post-graduation service.
  • University Research Grants: Many CS departments provide funding for capstone projects, AI research, cybersecurity competitions, and conference travel.
  • Industry Research Grants: Technology companies periodically fund student-led AI, machine learning, cybersecurity, or open-source projects.

Research-based grants often require a proposal, faculty sponsorship, and defined project objectives.

How Computer Science Scholarships Are Evaluated

Computer science scholarships are typically awarded based on demonstrated technical engagement rather than stated interest alone.

Review committees often consider:

  • Technical coursework performance: Algorithms, systems, operating systems, machine learning, mathematics.
  • Project portfolio: GitHub repositories, deployed applications, research code, or open-source contributions.
  • Internships or research experience: Industry placements, lab research, cybersecurity competitions.
  • Professional involvement: Participation in computing organizations, hackathons, or technical conferences.
  • Recommendations from technical mentors: Professors, research supervisors, or engineering managers.

Strong applicants demonstrate sustained technical development, not just short-term participation.

Data & content oversight by Lauren Nichols

Co-Founder of CollegeWhale, specializing in scholarship data systems and financial aid research.