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Microsoft scholarship provides a leg up so you can pursue undergraduate studies in computer science and related technical disciplines. You’ll join a community of scholarship recipients from the United States, Canada and Mexico who share your passion for technology and academic excellence. It all adds up to achieving your primary goal—making a real difference in the software industry.
Microsoft is offering four different types of technical scholarships for the 2014-2015 academic year to current undergraduate students: General Scholarships, Women’s Scholarships, Minority Scholarships, and Scholarships for Students with Disabilities.
RequirementsIf you’re interested in applying for the 2014-2015 academic year scholarships, please see the Application Process tab for more information. Microsoft selects final candidates based on the following criteria:
- Eligibility
- Quality of application
- Displayed interest in the software industry
- Commitment to leadership
- Financial need
Diversity at MicrosoftWe encourage student populations currently underrepresented in the field of computer science to pursue technical degrees. All candidates who meet the criteria for eligibility described below may certainly apply, while we do award a large majority of our student scholarships to women, minorities, and the disabled. Minority applicants must belong to one of the following groups underrepresented in the software field: African-American, Hispanic, or Native American.
ProvisionsAs a recipient of one of our scholarships, you’ll enjoy the benefits for one academic year. You may receive either a full or partial scholarship for the academic year. Full tuition scholarships will cover tuition for the academic year as posted by the financial aid office at your college or university. Microsoft will make payments to the designated school, and they’re not transferable to other academic institutions. You may use the funds for tuition only—not for other costs listed on your bursar bill, such as room and board.
You’ll also need to apply for a summer internship and if offered an internship, you must complete the salaried summer internship of 12 weeks or more at Microsoft Corporation in Redmond, Washington. (Microsoft reserves the right not to offer an internship position to the scholarship winner if an appropriate match cannot be found.)
EligibilityTo be eligible, you must be enrolled full time in a Bachelor’s degree program at a 4-year college or university in the United States, Canada, or Mexico at the time you submit the application. Plus, we’ll need to see that you’re making satisfactory progress toward an undergraduate degree in computer science, computer engineering, or a related technical discipline such as electrical engineering, math, or physics—and that you demonstrate an interest in computer science. Because the scholarship is merit based, you must maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average out of a possible 4.0, or a 4.0 cumulative grade point average out of a possible 5.0. For more detailed information regarding eligibility, please read our FAQ.
Application ProcessApplications must be received by our
January 31st, 2014 deadline. You must apply
via email complete with the following items (all are required to be considered) to:
scholars@microsoft.com.
- Resume: including contact info, major & graduation date.
- A copy of your current academic transcript.
- Answer the following:
- What is your estimated tuition cost for 2014-2015 Academic Year and to demonstrate financial need, how are you currently funding your education?
- Is your tuition in state, out of state, private or international?
- Would receiving a Microsoft scholarship adversely impact any other financial aid you will receive in this same academic year?
- Short Answer Essay Questions:
- Tell us why you deserve this scholarship!
- How do you demonstrate passion for technology outside of the classroom?
- Tell us about the toughest technical problem you’ve worked on, how you addressed it, your role (if team-based) in reaching the outcome, and the final solution.
- Describe a situation which demonstrates your initiative and willingness to go above and beyond.
- Letter of Referral: from a faculty member or academic advisor who knows your work (must come from faculty’s email).
- Apply: for a Microsoft Summer Internship, take a screenshot of your application confirmation to include when emailing scholars@microsoft.com.
Optional: Gender/Ethnicity/Disability: if you would like this information to be considered with your application, feel free to include it.
FAQThe following are questions most often asked by our scholarship applicants. If you don’t find an answer to your question here or in the other Scholarships pages, please e-mail scholars@microsoft.com.
Where can I find an application?A complete application includes six items: your resume, transcript, answers to essay questions, letter of referral, and a printed confirmation page from the online application to the Microsoft Internship program. If you have already applied for a Microsoft Internship, please indicate this below your essay answers so we can verify your application status. There is not a separate application form to submit in addition to the above materials. Your name should be included on each page of your application.
Can high school, community college or graduate students apply for these scholarships?No. Scholarships are available for students who are currently enrolled in a four-year undergraduate degree program.
I am studying at a school outside of the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Am I eligible to apply?No. You must be attending a school in North America in order to be eligible for our scholarship program.
Can international students apply for scholarships?Yes. If you are currently studying in North America and meet our criteria for scholarship eligibility, you can apply regardless of your citizenship.
If I want to apply for a women’s, minority or disability scholarship, where do I indicate that in my application?If you would like this information to be considered, simply mention this on your application.
Do I need to send an official transcript or is an unofficial transcript acceptable?If you cannot obtain an official transcript from your school, you can send an unofficial transcript for now. However, we will ask for an official transcript if you are one of the finalists for the scholarship.
What should be included in the letter of recommendation?We do not have a template for the letter of recommendation. Your professor should write a letter that endorses you as the best candidate to receive a scholarship. The letter should address why your professor has this opinion.
