2026 AFCEA DC Scholarship Program

Each year, to promote higher education in the STEM fields of computer science, engineering, mathematics, physics, chemistry, and management information systems through financial scholarship awards, AFCEA DC selects exceptional graduating high school seniors headed to a 4-year college or university. Please invite your friends and family with high school seniors to learn more and be a part of this AFCEA DC tradition.

If you know a high school senior majoring in a STEM field who will be starting college or university this fall, have them apply for the #1 scholarship in the DC Metro Area, as ranked by College Consensus.
 

Applications will be accepted through 11:59 PM ET on Sunday, March 8, 2026.

Recipients will be announced in April 2026.

Before you get started, please make sure you have the following items:

• School activities, extracurricular involvement, volunteer work, and awards from the past two years
• Paid and/or unpaid work or internship experience
• A personal statement describing your interest in STEM and future goals
• A financial need statement outlining anticipated costs, expected contributions, and funding gaps
• Two letters of recommendation submitted through the application system
  • It is highly recommended that at least one letter be from someone other than a guidance counselor
• Guidance counselor information (required)
  • Your counselor will submit academic information through an automated request
  • Applications are not eligible without this submission

Eligibility Requirements:

Applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

• Be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
• Reside within the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) region
• Be a graduating high school senior
• Not be a recipient of a full-tuition scholarship
• Plan to enroll full-time in a four-year STEM degree program at a U.S.-accredited college or university in an eligible field of study, including:
  • Computer Science
  • Engineering (all disciplines)
  • Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry
  • Cybersecurity
  • Management Information Systems (MIS)
  • Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I)-related fields of study including electrical, computer, chemical, aerospace or systems engineering or electronics

Medical, nursing, and related healthcare fields are not eligible.

Have questions about this process? Reach out to us at scholarships@dc.afceachapters.org, and we will get back to you as soon as we can.