Scholarships Application

Clark School students are strongly encouraged to complete the Clark School's scholarships application by May 31st each year via UMD's Scholarship Universe for best consideration. Students can access the application by visiting the "Applications" tab on the left hand side of their Scholarship Universe profile. Please see the Office of Student Financial Aid's "Scholarship Search" website for more information. Students must be a declared engineering student to view and submit our scholarships application. 

Scholarships applications are reviewed by the student's major department and by the Clark School starting typically in June each year. Applicants will be considered for every scholarship administered by the Clark School for which they are eligible. Only students receiving a scholarship will be notified via their UMD email. These notifications usually begin in July and continue into the fall semester. 

Current students must complete the online application via Scholarship Universe each year to be considered for Clark School scholarships. Please be aware that undergraduate scholarship funding for the Clark School changes each year. Students receiving scholarships funding one year may not receive the same or any funding in future years.  

We strongly encourage students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually by the University of Maryland priority deadline, as many, but not all, engineering scholarships have a financial need requirement. 

First-year students who applied to the University of Maryland by the Early Action deadline and are invited to the A. James Clark School of Engineering are automatically considered for most Clark School scholarships available to them, including Clark Foundation Scholarships. Students who participated in a FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) program in high school may be eligible to apply for a FIRST Scholarship. The FIRST Scholarship application is due by March 12, 2026.

First-year students may complete the Clark School scholarships application. The scholarships application for 2026-2027 will be available by early April.* Please note that awards available through the scholarships application are designated first for current students and new transfer students, and those scholarships will not be awarded until the summer.

*Until early April, the 2025-2026 Scholarships Application is available in Schoalrship Universe. Students admitted to enroll in Fall 2026 or later should not complete the 2025-2026 application. Please wait until the 2026-2027 application is available.

New transfer students are encouraged to complete the Clark School scholarships application. The scholarships application for 2026-2027 will be available by early April.* New transfer students are automatically considered for the Clark Opportunity Transfer Scholarship.

*Until early April, the 2025-2026 Scholarships Application is available in Schoalrship Universe. Students admitted to enroll in Fall 2026 or later should not complete the 2025-2026 application. Please wait until the 2026-2027 application is available.

Before you begin the Clark School's Online Scholarships Application, prepare a complete resume and your responses to three short statements. The resume does not have to be one page for the scholarships application. Your resume must be submitted in PDF or MS Word format. A PDF preserves your formatting whereas the formatting in MS Word can change. Need help writing a resume? Look at available workshops and resources from Engineering Career Services.

Draft your responses to three short statements and please be succint in your responses. Write professionally using good grammar, spelling, and punctuation. In addition to being reviewed by the Clark School, you could be nominated for external scholarships provided by corporations or engineering organizations. We nominate students whose applications have a professional appearance. The short statements you will be asked are:

  1. Describe any financial considerations affecting your ability to attend the University of Maryland. What impact might receiving this scholarship have on your UMD experience or academic and personal goals? In particular, please include anything which may have not been addressed via the FAFSA, such as extenuating financial concerns, medical situations in the family, or parental unemployment.
  2. For current UMD students, how have you contributed to the diversity of the university? For new, first-time students (including external transfer students), in what ways might you contribute to the diversity of the university? Please cite examples if applicable.
  3. Describe your engineering interests and career plans: how you became interested in engineering; what interests you about your major; your plans after graduation; and what you hope to do with your engineering degree.

Please note that once you submit your application, you may not be able to edit your responses.

When reviewing these applications, the Clark School will be looking at the student's application as a whole, with their University grade point average being one consideration. They will also be reviewed with an understanding that many high schools and colleges utilized Pass/Fail grading options during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For best consideration, please submit your scholarships application by May 31st each year.

For additional questions, please contact us at FutureEngineer@umd.edu.


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