It’s no secret that data science is one of the most in-demand skill sets of the 21st century. The average salary of data science practitioners in the U.S. is $113,000. In the nation’s tech hubs, some upper level data scientists can bring in three to four times that amount. Besides job security and high paying positions, data science is also an inherently interesting career path that can provide value to many organization types: for-profit, non-profit, in research, and across industries. Even with most qualified data scientists bringing in quite high salaries, higher education can be expensive. Luckily for aspiring data scientists, there are a number of data science specific scholarships out there. Below we’ve compiled all data science scholarships that are open to the general public. Note that many universities have their own scholarships available for data science students. Though we have only included scholarships below that are available to students regardless of the university they choose.
Think you’re interested in a data science program? Check out our rankings of the best and the most affordable online data science master’s degrees to see where your choice stacks up!
ACM SIGHPC/Intel Computational & Data Science Fellowship
- This partnership program between Intel and ACM SIGHPC provides 5-year funding fellowships particularly targetting women and minority students. Successful applicants must be in a master’s of doctoral program, have completed less than half their program, and must be an underrepresented group in the field of their study in the country they live in. Requires a CV, nomination, and endorsement.
- Amount: $15,000/Annually
- Special Demographics: Women / Minority
- Degree Level: Graduate
Acxiom Corporation Diversity Scholarship
- This scholarship program, now going on it’s 7th year awards a number of $5,000 awards to underrepresented people groups in information technology related fields including data science.
- Amount: 5000
- Special Demographics: Diverse Backgrounds
- Degree Level: Undergraduate, Graduate
HIMSS Minnesota Graduate Health IT Scholarship
- The HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) offers annual scholarships to students in health care informatics fields. Awarded based on academic merit and leadership capabilities. Awards are available to associates through doctoral students.
- Amount: Varies
- Special Demographics: Minnesota or Neighboring State
- Degree Level: Undergraduate, Graduate
INFORMS Analytics Society Student Scholarship
- This scholarship provides round trip airfare, admission, and other amenaties for an annual SAS/Analytics Society conference. Students must submit a statement of work as well as supporting documents.
- Amount: Varies
- Special Demographics: None
- Degree Level: Undergraduate, Graduate
Milliman Opportunity Scholarship Fund
- This scholarship is for students pursuing degrees in data science, statistics, and actuarial fields and who are from people groups historically underepresented in those fields. No GPA required, for current or future students.
- Amount: 5000
- Special Demographics: Underepresented Fields
- Degree Level: Undergraduate
MinneAnalytics Data Science Scholarship
- This scholarship is offtered to students showing a passion for analytics as well as helping their community. Faculty members teaching or advising students may apply for them.
- Amount: 1000
- Special Demographics: Upper Midwest
- Degree Level: Undergraduate
Portland DPMA Chapter Scholarships
- This scholarship for $1,000 is renewable for $500 and offered to graduating seniors in Portland (Oregon) high schools who are pursuing information technology degrees including data science.
- Amount: 1000
- Special Demographics: Portland
- Degree Level: Undergraduate
Remote DBA Experts to Students Scholarship
- This scholarship is available to graduating high school students as well as current students wishing to pursue a degree in or career in data science-related fields. Successful applicants must submit an essay.
- Amount: 1000
- Special Demographics: None
- Degree Level: Undergraduate
Strong Analytics Data Science Scholarship
- This scholarship centers around students of machine learning and is awarded annually to students with the best public projects. Projects are judged based on their creativity, clarity, rigor, and reproducability.
- Amount: 1000
- Special Demographics: None
- Degree Level: Undergraduate
UNCF/Alliance Data Scholarship and Internship
- This scholarship and internship program is offered to minority students with a preference given to those who study at historically black universities. Students will receive $5,000 in tuition assistance as well as airfare and housing during a summer internship program.
- Amount: 5000
- Special Demographics: Minority/ Underepresented Students
- Degree Level: Undergraduate
Open Data Science Conference Scholarship
- This scholarship is offered to over 30 students and practitioners of data science including minorities, female data scientists, the unemployed, students, and start up founders. Scholarship features free and discounted passes to the open data science conference.
- Amount: Conference Passes
- Special Demographics: Mintory / Underepresented
- Degree Level: Students, Practitioners
Insight Data Science
- This free program is available to PhD recipients in a variety of quantitative disciplines and seeks to provide a bridge program between quantitiative academics and data science jobs. The program lasts 7 weeks, is free, and has a 100% job acceptance rate.
- Amount: Free
- Special Demographics: None
- Degree Level: Graduate
Metis Data Science
- This program offers a number of scholarships for underepresented, women, LGBTQ, and Veteran students. The bootcamp lasts 12 weeks and prepares graduates for the job market through 5 data science projects.
- Amount: 3000
- Special Demographics: Women / Underrepresented / LGBTQ / Veterans
- Degree Level: None
Springboard
- Springboard’s data science career track bootcamp offers $500 scholarship opportunities to both women and veteran applicants. This bootcamp has provided a solid background in data science for close to 800 graduates and links many promising students up with hiring partners.
- Amount: 500
- Special Demographics: Women / Veterans
- Degree Level: None
Upgrade Online Scholarship
- Upgrade Online offers a range of bootcamps related to data science and analytics. Each offers scholarship opportunity is based on merit, need, and ambition. Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree, one year of work experience, and be a citizen of India among other criteria.
- Amount: Varies
- Special Demographics: Residents of India
- Degree Level: Graduate