You walk around the world thinking about why things are the way they are. You’re perpetually curious. You’re a science person. You also want a way to pay for college. Take a look at some of these scholarships and competitions. They’re designed for students interested in science, math, engineering and technology.

One of the techniques of being successful in obtaining a scholarship is to target multiple scholarships in one research project or essay. For instance, you can enter similar research-based projects in both the Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology and the Intel Science Talent Search. If you’re a writer, not a researcher, your DNA Day Essay Contest and DuPont Challenge Science Essay could be on the same theme.

American Chemical Society Scholars Program - For high school seniors and college students who are underrepresented minorities who want to study of chemistry or chemistry-related fields, such as environmental science, toxicology and chemical technology.

Buick Achievers Scholarship Program - For current high school seniors or high school graduates who are first-time college students in the fall who need financial assistance to attend college. You must plan to major in a course of study that focuses on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math).

Davidson Fellows Scholarship- For students under 18 years old who have completed a significant piece of work in Mathematics, Science, Literature, Music, Technology, Philosophy and Outside the Box. Significant work is an accomplishment that experts in the field recognize as meaningful and has the potential to make a positive contribution to society.

DNA Day Essay Contest - For students in grades 9-12 the contest asks you to think about the important concepts of genetics.

DuPont Challenge Science Essay - Write an essay of at least 700 words expressing your enthusiasm for science.

EngineerGirl Essay Contest - This essay competition asks boys and girls to write an essay about a different subject.

Intel Science Talent Search - Intel Science Talent Search is for students in their senior year of high school who have created a research-based science or math project. Entrants to the competition conduct original research many times the participants have worked with leading research teams at universities, hospitals and private laboratories

InvenTeams - The program is designed to generate interest in science, technology, engineering, and math; empower students to problem solve; and encourage an inventive culture in schools and communities.

To compete, you must form a team with other high school students.  You work with teachers and mentors to invent technological solutions to real-world problems.

FIRST Robotics Competition- You work with adult mentors to build robots that can complete a task.

National Co-op Scholarship Program - To be eligible for the scholarship the applicant must apply and be admitted to one of the participating colleges. They encourage minority and female students and students interested in science, mathematics, engineering and technology to apply for this scholarship.

SAE Engineering Scholarships - For students interested in science, engineering and technology.

SanDisk Scholars Fund - This scholarship is for students with demonstrated leadership and/or entrepreneurial interests and an interest in a career in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Science, Mathematics And Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship - This full tuition scholarship in the sciences requires that the participate comit to employment with the Federal Government after graduation.

Shell Oil Company Technical Scholarship Program - The scholarship is offered to high school seniors who plan to major in one of the following fields: Geology, Geophysics, Physics, Chemical, civil, electrical, mechanical, petroleum, geological or geophysical engineering.

Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology - High school students can submit a science, math or technology project as a group (any grade) or as an individual (12th graders only).

Society of Women Engineers Scholarships - This scholarships is offered to young women who are interested in the science and engineering fields.

Stokes Educational Scholarship Program - This scholarship is designed to recruit individuals, particularly minority high school students, who are planning on majoring in Computer Science or Computer/Electrical Engineering. Those awarded the scholarship become National Security Agency (NSA) employees and will attend college full-time, but work during the summer at NSA for 12 weeks in areas related to their course of study.    

Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision Awards Program - This scholarship encourages students from Kindergarten to 12th grade to explore a vision of future technology by combining their imaginations with the tools of science.

Xerox Technical Minority Scholarship Program - This scholarship is for academically talented minority students interested in technical areas such as engineering, material science computing, chemistry, physics and several other areas.

Young Naturalist Awards - This program is a research-based science competition for students in grades 7-12 to promote participation and communication in science.