Engineers Foundation of Wisconsin College Freshman Scholarships

Scholarship Sponsored by Engineers Foundation of Wisconsin

About the Engineers Foundation of Wisconsin

Description: Since 1981, the Engineers Foundation of Wisconsin (EFW) has supported outstanding high school students pursuing engineering as a career. Sponsored by the Wisconsin Society of Professional Engineers (WSPE), the Foundation promotes engineering education through annual scholarships. Awards are based on academic achievement, community involvement, extracurricular activities, and financial need. The Louis C. Geiger Scholarship honors the former WSPE president, who advanced the engineering profession and the organization’s High School Students Awards Program.

• EFW has provided scholarship support since 1981.
• Scholarship recipients are evaluated on academic achievement, involvement, and financial need.
• The Louis C. Geiger Scholarship recognizes Louis C. Geiger’s contributions to WSPE and its student awards program.

Scholarships Available

Scholarships: EFW offers several scholarships to current high school seniors entering college as engineering or engineering technology students. Award amounts and the number of awards vary by scholarship. Additional scholarships may be offered through local WSPE chapters to students in their geographic areas. The Harold D. Kobbervig Memorial Scholarship is limited to students attending high schools in Racine, Kenosha, or Walworth Counties.

• Engineering Foundation of Wisconsin Scholarship: Six awards of $3,000 each.
• Louis C. Geiger Scholarship: Three awards of $3,000 each.
• Terry Ni Engineering Scholarship: Up to 10 awards of at least $3,000 each. See the Terry Ni Scholarship website.
• Robert G. Cooper Scholarship: One award of $3,000.
• Harold D. Kobbervig Memorial Scholarship: Up to 10 awards of $3,000 to $5,000 each; limited to eligible high schools in Racine, Kenosha, and Walworth Counties.
• Local WSPE chapters may offer additional scholarships in their areas.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility: Applicants must be high school seniors entering a four-year Bachelor of Science program in engineering or engineering technology. The program must be accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), and applicants must intend to enter the professional engineering field after graduation. Applicants must meet the minimum GPA and ACT requirements. Computer science majors are not eligible.

• Minimum GPA: 3.2.
• Minimum ACT composite score: 26.
• ACT superscores are not accepted; submit the highest composite score.
• The intended program must be an ABET-accredited, four-year engineering or engineering technology bachelor’s program.

Award Details and Selection

Award Value: Scholarships are one-time grants for outstanding applicants who meet the eligibility requirements. NSPE-WI statewide may award up to 20 scholarships of at least $3,000 each, and the Terry Ni Engineering Scholarship may fund up to 10 awards of at least $3,000. WSPE/NSPE-WI chapters may also provide grants, and some chapters may interview applicants. Funds are sent directly to the recipient’s college financial office after enrollment is verified.

Notification: Scholarship recipients’ schools will be notified by email. Selections will be posted on the WSPE scholarship page by April 30, 2027.

• Awards are one-time grants, with amounts and availability varying by scholarship.
• Funds are disbursed to the college after enrollment verification.
• Some chapter applicants may be invited to an interview.
• Selections will be posted by April 30, 2027.

Application Materials

Application Requirements: Attach the required academic records, test score report, background information, and essay to the application form. Prepare the background information as a one-page, word-processed bulleted list in black, 12-point Arial with 1.5-line spacing. The essay must be word-processed in black, 12-point Arial, use single-line spacing, and be no longer than 400 words. Artificial intelligence tools, including ChatGPT, Copilot, and Gemini, may not be used to prepare essay content.

• Academic records: High school transcript (an unofficial copy is acceptable), including senior-year class lists; and an ACT score printout showing the highest composite score, not a superscore.
• Background information:
  • Extracurricular activities and positions held: list up to eight, with hours for each activity and a total of all activity hours.
  • Academic honors and awards: list up to five; do not include sports or extracurricular activities.
  • School-year and summer work experience: include paid hours worked, a brief description of duties, and total work hours.
  • Volunteer civic or community activities: list up to five, with hours, a brief description of duties, and total activity hours.
• Essay: Address your motivation for pursuing engineering and your vision of a successful career path. Do not use AI tools to prepare the essay.
• Additional information: Identify your engineering field of interest and your top two college preferences.

Authorization to Release Information: By applying, you certify that the information provided is true and complete to the best of your knowledge and authorize NSPE-WI to publish your name and award in its publications and on its website, and to announce them at NSPE-WI-sponsored events.