AIAA Diversity Scholar Program

AIAA Diversity Scholars Program

The mission of the AIAA Diversity Scholars Program is to provide opportunities for underrepresented minority university students who have an interest in or are pursuing a degree in aerospace to attend an AIAA forum or event, make connections, and form lifelong relationships with colleagues in industry, academia, and government. Funding preference will be given to females, persons with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and underrepresented ethnic and racial minorities, which include American Indian or Alaska Native, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, Mixed Race, or Asian.

Eligibility: 

To be eligible to participate in the AIAA Diversity Scholars program, student applicants must satisfy the eligibility requirements below:

• Must be studying at an accredited college/university in the 50 U.S. states or one of its dependent territories
• Must be an undergraduate, masters, or Ph.D. student
• If you previously attended an in-person event as a Diversity Scholar or as a participant in the International Student Conference, you are ineligible to apply
• If applying to the ASCEND event, applicants who are younger than 21 years of age will need to be accompanied by a companion 21 years or old 

Application Process & Details:

A completed application requires the following information from all applicants:

• Basic information about you
• Your university and degree information
• Gender identity
• Racial or ethnic identification
• Age
• A resume or CV (optional, to help judges learn more about your background)
• Answers to three short-answer essay questions

*Applications take an average of 30 minutes to complete.

Award Info:

Students selected for an AIAA Diversity Scholarship will receive the following, covered by the Diversity Scholarship Program:

• Roundtrip coach airfare 
• Conference registration (includes access to all networking events)
• Hotel room for the duration of the conference in host hotel
• A customized schedule 
• Special small-group meetings with aerospace industry leaders
• The opportunity to make new friends that will last a lifetime

In 2024, all programs are scheduled to be in-person. In the event government actions around COVID-19 cause the cancellation of an AIAA Forum, or AIAA determines that the health and safety situation warrant the cancellation of a forum, activities will be transitioned to a virtual format and students will have the opportunity to participate as Diversity Scholars.

Important Deadlines

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*You must be a full-time student at a U.S. institution to apply.

**Scholars selected will have access to both AIAA AVIATION Forum and ASCEND.

***Due to Caesar’s Resorts policy, attendees under the age of 21 require a companion over the age of 21 to accompany them.