Major Automotive Industry Scholarships

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The pursuit of certification in automotive trades comes with substantial financial impediments for students. With the average college tuition fee for automotive industry courses exceeding $16,000 per year in the United States, many passionate and talented students can easily get locked out of their dream careers.

Fortunately, there are a number of scholarships that can help these students to pursue training in automotive industry courses without a hitch. Automotive industry scholarships are usually awarded to students who are pursuing careers in the automotive industry, such as in the fields of upholstery, auto body and paint, automotive technology, collision repair and refinishing, motorcycle technology, truck and diesel technology, NASCAR and Pit crews, and Master of Certified Automotive Technology.

Range and Origins of Automotive Industry Scholarships

Students enrolled in automotive industry programs can get financial scholarships to fund their certificate, associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree and master’s degree pursuits. Usually, the scholarships originate from interested entities (such as foundations, industry associations, colleges and educators, and private sector players) and are accessible by a huge cross-section of students who are registered in accredited training schools. If you wish to qualify for automotive industry scholarships, you need to first refine your personal auto-industry career dream and then to target and apply for student scholarships that are specifically designed for your educational program. Below are some important scholarships that you should consider.

Automotive Industry Scholarships from Foundations

Universal Technical Institute (UTI) Foundation Scholarships:

UTI provides at least six categories of financial aid to students pursuing auto-industry disciplines such as motorcycle mechanics, NASCAR programs, marine repair, collision repair and automotive repair. Firstly, UTI’s Advanced Training scholarships offer at least $1000 every month to each of five selected students who transfer from one UTI campus to another for Manufacturer Specific Advanced Training (MSAT) or elective classes. The aid is for settling relocation expenses such as rent, utilities and travel.

Secondly, UTI’s Bridgestone/Firestone Technical Scholarship is for financially needy students who are studying at Orlando, Avondale, Rancho Cucamonga, or Sacramento UTI campuses. A single award of $2000 is granted out by each UTI school during every educational enrollment period. Thirdly, UTI’s William Burke Student Support Fund is an offer of $1,100 per year for a student enrolled in the Early Model Program at the Motorcycle Mechanics Institute in Orlando, FL campus. Other UTI scholarships you need to check out are Albert Cabito fund of $2000, the Military Veterans Support Grants of $750, and the Nissan Automotive Technical Training Program full-tuition aid of $5000.

The Automotive Women’s Alliance (AWA) Foundation

These scholarships are provided to women who pursue international automotive industry programs. A sum of $2,500 is disbursed to successful applicants to use in offsetting tuition and other automotive field education-related costs. Design and engineering students at all college levels are also eligible.

The Automotive Parts and Service Association (APSA) of Illinois

This organization offers scholarships in six annual disbursements of $500 each to automotive aftermarket industry students who reside in Illinois and have member-sponsors who submit APSA recommendations on their behalves. Applicants must have high school diplomas or GEDs and enrolled in full-time programs in accredited schools. Winners are eligible for four years of funding, but they must continuously reapply for all those four years.

Work-Related Automotive Industry Scholarships

The AutoZone Scholarship

This company awards of $2,500 each are given to 15 students every year. To qualify, a student must be a high school graduate employed by AutoZone or a dependent of somebody who has worked for the company for at least a year.

CARQUEST

Scholarships from CARQUEST are 4 annual awards of $1,000 each to four technicians of the company and their family members. Moreover, any employee of the company enrolled in an automotive industry program is eligible for a full-time tuition scholarship.

Automotive Industry Associations’ Scholarships

Automotive Hall of Fame Scholarship

This program is an annual award to financially needy students enrolled in automotive programs in accredited colleges and universities. Preference is given to those in full-time programs and who have constantly attained at least a 3.0 GPA in their studies. Applicants must submit academic transcripts, proof of U.S. citizenship, proof of accredited school enrollment, completed scholarship request, two letters of recommendation of the applicant’s automotive aptitude, and the letter of acceptance into a bachelor’s, master’s or associate’s degree program.

Alliance of Automotive Service Providers

These scholarships are annual awards of $1000 each to students enrolled in automotive industry programs.

College-Based Automotive Industry Scholarships

A number of colleges award scholarships to needy students enrolled in automotive industry programs in their schools. For instance, the MassBay Community College’s automotive technician scholarship is an award of $1000 each to high school graduates or re-training adult students enrolled in the school, and who demonstrate aptitude in automotive fields. Similarly, the Houston Community College (HCC) Scholarship is an award of eight annual BMW Automotive Scholarships to students who meet HCC registration requirements, are residents of the district with at least an average score of “C” and who pass driving records reviews.