Scholarship Eligibility
At the North Star STEM Foundation, we believe that great STEM communicators can come from any background, community, or classroom. Our STEM Communication Scholarships are designed to recognize Alaska high school students who demonstrate curiosity, creativity, and the ability to make science, technology, engineering, and mathematics accessible to others.
General Eligibility Requirements:
To apply for a North Star STEM Foundation scholarship, students must:
- Be an Alaska resident. Applicants must reside in Alaska at the time of application.
- Be enrolled in grades 9–12. Students attending public, private, charter, or homeschool programs are welcome.
- Submit an original STEM communication video. Videos must explain or demonstrate a topic related to science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
- Meet the video length requirement. Submissions must be between 60 and 90 seconds, with a maximum duration of 90 seconds.
- Follow the foundation’s content guidelines. AI may be used for research, but AI-generated images, video footage, and voiceovers are not permitted.
- Complete the scholarship application. All required information and materials must be submitted during the application period.
Scholarship Catagories
Applicants may be considered for multiple scholarship categories based on their eligibility. Only one application and one video are needed.
STEM Communication Scholarship
Open to all eligible Alaska high school students. This scholarship recognizes outstanding STEM communication, regardless of the student’s chosen subject, school, or background. Students may explore any STEM discipline, from biology and chemistry to engineering, mathematics, astronomy, and beyond.
IgnitHER STEM Scholarhip
The IgnitHER STEM Scholarship celebrates young women who demonstrate creativity, curiosity, and excellence in STEM communication. This award seeks to encourage greater representation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Additional Eligibility Requirements:
- Applicant must be a female student enrolled in grades 9–12.
- Applicant must meet all general North Star STEM Foundation scholarship eligibility requirements.
Eligible applicants will automatically be considered for the IgnitHER STEM Scholarship through the general scholarship application.
Rural STEM Scholarship
The Rural STEM Scholarship recognizes students living outside Alaska’s major population centers, helping expand opportunities for young STEM communicators throughout the state.
Additional Eligibility Requirements:
- Applicants must maintain their primary residence in Alaska outside the Anchorage, Matanuska-Susitna, Fairbanks, and Juneau areas.
- Rural eligibility is determined by the student’s primary residential address, not the location of their school or educational program.
- Students enrolled in statewide correspondence, homeschool, or distance-learning programs may qualify if their primary residence is in an eligible community.
- Applicants must meet all general North Star STEM Foundation scholarship eligibility requirements.
Eligible applicants will automatically be considered for the Rural STEM Scholarship through the general scholarship application.