Trade School Scholarships
79 scholarships · Updated November 2026
These scholarships pay for career and technical training, including welding, electrical and lineworker programs, HVAC, construction, automotive, cosmetology and other skilled trades. Many accept certificate programs and apprenticeships, not just two-year degrees.
Industry groups, unions and electric cooperatives fund a large share of trade scholarships because they need trained workers. Some come with strings, such as working in a state or for the sponsor for a set period, so read the terms before you accept. If scholarships don't cover the full bill, compare student loans for trade school and using a 529 plan for trade school.
SFM Foundation Scholarship (Kids' Chance of Minnesota and Iowa)
Offered by SFM Foundation
Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancement Scholarship
Offered by Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancement (Horizon Farm Credit)
EAA Aviation Foundation Flight Training Scholarships
Offered by EAA Aviation Foundation (Experimental Aircraft Association)
WREC Educational Foundation Scholarship
Offered by Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative
SPIE Optics and Photonics Scholarships
Offered by SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics
WoodmenLife Focus Forward Scholarship
Offered by WoodmenLife (Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Society)
PCCA Scholarship Program Opening Soon
Offered by PCCA Education & Research Foundation (Power & Communication Contractors Association)
Bering Straits Foundation Scholarship
Offered by Bering Straits Foundation (Bering Straits Native Corporation)
The Aleut Foundation (Ulakaia Center) General Scholarship
Offered by The Aleut Foundation / Ulakaia Center
Kids' Chance of Louisiana Scholarship Opening Soon
Offered by Kids' Chance of Louisiana (Louisiana Bar Foundation)
AFFCF Foster Care Scholarship Program
Offered by Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation (AFFCF)
Automotive Women's Alliance Foundation Scholarship
Offered by Automotive Women's Alliance Foundation
First Tech Federal Credit Union STEM Scholarship Opening Soon
Offered by First Technology Federal Credit Union
Grand Rapids Community Foundation Scholarships Opening Soon
Offered by Grand Rapids Community Foundation
Greater Kansas City Community Foundation Scholarships Opening Soon
Offered by Greater Kansas City Community Foundation
NCRLA Foundation Hospitality Scholarships
Offered by North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association Foundation
Pest Management Foundation Scholarships
Offered by Pest Management Foundation (National Pest Management Association)
Wisconsin Arborist Association Arboriculture Scholarships
Offered by Wisconsin Arborist Association (ISA Wisconsin Chapter)
Alltricity Scholarship Foundation Scholarships
Offered by Alltricity Scholarship Foundation (Alltricity Network, formerly RMEL)
PMA Educational Foundation Scholarships and Tooling Awards
Offered by Precision Metalforming Association Educational Foundation (PMAEF)
NFPA Fluid Power Scholarship
Offered by NFPA Education and Technology Foundation (National Fluid Power Association)
Truman Heartland Community Foundation Scholarship Program Opening Soon
Offered by Truman Heartland Community Foundation
NBAA William M. Fanning Maintenance Scholarship
Offered by NBAA Charities (National Business Aviation Association)
CMACN Concrete Masonry Scholarships for Architecture, Construction Management, and Engineering Students
Offered by Concrete Masonry Association of California and Nevada (CMACN)
NBAA Corporate Aircraft Association Scholarship for Future Aviation Leaders
Offered by NBAA Charities and the Corporate Aircraft Association
Wisconsin Laborers' District Council Scholarship Fund Last Chance
Offered by Wisconsin Laborers' District Council (LIUNA)
AGC of Missouri Trade Apprenticeship and Technical Education Scholarship
Offered by AGC of Missouri Education Foundation
Thompson Scholarship for Women in Safety
Offered by ASSP Foundation (American Society of Safety Professionals)
ADHA Foundation Dental Hygiene Scholarships Opening Soon
Offered by ADHA Foundation (Institute for Oral Health)
Indiana State FOP State Lodge Scholarship Program
Offered by Indiana State Fraternal Order of Police
Trade School Scholarships By The Numbers
- SFM Foundation Scholarship (Kids' Chance of Minnesota and Iowa)
Based on the 79 listings above. Typical award is the median top amount each sponsor publishes.
Can You Get A Scholarship For Trade School?
Yes. Trade school scholarships come from industry associations, unions, employers, electric cooperatives and foundations, and many general scholarships accept vocational programs too. If your school takes federal student aid, scholarships stack on top of Pell Grants and other aid you get through the FAFSA. Starting with the 2026-27 award year, Workforce Pell Grants also cover qualifying short-term job training programs that run 8 to 15 weeks.
Where Trade School Scholarships Come From
Industry groups fund the largest share because they need trained workers. The American Welding Society Foundation backs welding students, the National Association of Women in Construction funds women entering the trades, and unions like the IBEW and SMART run scholarships for members' families. Electric cooperatives pay for lineworker training in their service areas, and the mikeroweWORKS Foundation's Work Ethic Scholarship is open to students in many skilled trades.
What Trade School Scholarships Cover
Most trade scholarships pay tuition, and many also cover tools, equipment, certification exams or apprenticeship costs. Unlike many college awards, they often accept certificate programs that last a year or less. A few come with a work requirement, such as staying in the state or with the sponsor for a set time, and those listings say so.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Use Scholarships For Trade School?
Yes. Every award on this page covers trade, technical or vocational training. Confirm that your program is accredited or approved, since many sponsors require it.
Do Trade School Scholarships Cover Tools?
Some do. A few awards cover tools, equipment and certification fees on top of tuition, and the listing says when that's the case.
Is A $20,000 Scholarship Good For Trade School?
Yes, it's a large award for a trade program. Compare it with your program's full published cost, including tools, fees and exams, since many certificate programs cost less than that in total.
Is The Niche $10,000 Scholarship Real?
Niche's no-essay drawings are real and publish winners, but they work like sweepstakes and aren't specific to trade students. We list sponsor-run awards with set criteria instead, which give trade students better odds.
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Why Trust The College Investor
The College Investor has helped millions of readers navigate paying for college and student loans since 2009. Every scholarship in our database is individually reviewed by our team before it goes live, and re-checked regularly so deadlines and links stay current.
Our Scholarship Standards
A listing here means our team checked that the award is real, currently active, and actually pays out. We won't list a scholarship that:
- Charges any kind of fee to apply
- Makes you join a paid membership, or sign up for an app or service, just to be eligible
- Has a privacy policy that would let the sponsor sell or misuse your information
- Collects essays, ideas, or contact details mainly to feed the sponsor's marketing
- Can't show a winner from the past 12 months, or offers no way to reach the sponsor
One nuance: established companies and nonprofits that run applications through their own systems may still be listed, even though creating an account there is part of applying.
Spot a listing that doesn't meet this bar? Email [email protected] and we'll review it. You can also read our editorial guidelines.