The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) distributes scholarships to women in all areas of engineering disciplines, including mechanical engineering. In 2009, scholarships through SWE estimated scholarship payouts at $470,000 and more than 180 new scholarships were awarded. Scholarships are open to all levels of students, including graduate students. While SWE funds some scholarships, other grants and scholarships are funded through corporations and endowments. Some scholarships require SWE membership for eligibility. Scholarships tend to range between $1,000 and $10,000 per scholarship, and some scholarships are available through local SWE chapters.
Among the nearly two dozen scholarships and awards offered by the mechanical and aerospace engineering department at West Virginia University is the Amelia Earhart Fellowship Award for Women. The scholarship is awarded to a female graduate student for her work in engineering, including mechanical engineering. It is sponsored by the Amelia Earhart Foundation.
The Agilent Mentoring Scholarship is open to sophomore- or junior-level females at an accredited four-year university or college. Applicants majoring in mechanical engineering with a 3.0 grade-point average or higher are eligible to apply. The application requires a one-page essay about the student's reasons for becoming an engineer and how she thinks being an engineer will make a difference. The duration of the scholarship is one year, and it is distributed through the Society of Women Engineers.
Once known as the American Association of University Women, the AAUW offers fellowships based on chosen profession, including a Master of Engineering or a Master of Science degree in mechanical engineering. The amount awarded is between $5,000 and $18,000, and fellowships are open to full-time female graduate students at an accredited university in the U.S.