Petro-Scholarships and Grants Proliferate

Students seeking scholarships to study oil and gas-related disciplines have an almost-dizzying range of options from which to choose.

Professional associations, colleges and universities and academic foundations are among the sponsors of hundreds of scholarship programs.

Those who have a technical discipline in mind – such as petroleum engineering or geosciences –can try professional association programs to start.

For example, the Society for Petroleum Engineers (SPE) offers the following scholarship programs:

• SPE Foundation Gus Archie Scholarship
  Awards an outstanding student who plans to enter a university and pursue an undergraduate degree in petroleum engineering up to $6,000 per year.
• SPE Foundation Nico van Wingen Graduate Fellowship
  This fellowship in petroleum engineering provides up to two awards per year of $5,000 each for PhD-level studies.
• SPE Star Scholarship and Fellowship
  This large fund divides some $1 million between 15 regions to provide scholarships for undergraduates and fellowships for graduate students for up to a maximum of 4 years.
• Henry DeWitt Smith Fellowship
  This fellowship is for graduate students who can demonstrate other income sources.
• SPE Section Scholarships
  Many sections offer funding for scholarships, student travel, purchasing of books and computer software, and other forms of educational outreach.
• Additional Scholarships
  Numerous scholarships are available for degrees in the energy industry worldwide. View details on the various organizations and the funds they have available.

Other examples of professional associations that are active on the scholarship front are the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG).

SEG Foundation
This foundation offers some 50 different scholarships and matches applicants to particular awards.

AAPG Foundations Grants for Students
AAPG Foundation offers two foundation grants -- one for undergraduate students and one for masters and doctoral candidates. In 2011, 44 grants were awarded to undergraduates and 82 grants were awarded to masters and doctoral candidates.

In addition, many companies sponsor scholarships. A small sampling of those available includes:

• ExxonMobil Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF)
  This program provides up to $2,500 per academic year for sophomores to seniors of Latino origin for a wide range of engineering majors.
• Marathon Oil (HSF)
  This program provides up to $15,000 per year for up to two academic years to students from a variety of ethnic backgrounds in a wide range of majors.
• Chevron Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
  This fund offers up to $2,000 per year for female college sophomores and juniors in engineering.

The free Web site EduInReview.com provides a wide array of scholarship listings and details, many of which are available through specific colleges and universities. Examples of petroleum-related scholarships, by typical award categories, include:

• $1,000 and $1,500
  • Admiral Grace Murray Hopper Scholarship
  • Allan & Marilyn Neustadt Engineering Scholarship (Petroleum Engineering)
  • American Association of Professional Landmen
  • Atlantic Richfield Scholarship
  • Claudia F. Pleasants Scholarship Endowment
  • David A. Bartlett Memorial Scholarship
  • David M. Scott Memorial Scholarship
  • Desk & Derrick Club
  • Fred & Norma Ackman Engineering Scholarship
  • General Electric Foundation Scholarship
  • Harry H. Beren Scholarship
  • Jon R. Withrow Engineering Scholarship
  • Julian J. Rothbaum Award
  • Keown Memorial Scholarship
  • Kerr-McGee Corporation Scholarship
  • Petroleum Engineering Scholarship Fund
  • Phillips Petroleum Scholarship
  • Ray G. Collins Engineering Scholarship
  • Robert L. Brace Memorial Scholarship SPWLA Scholarship
  • W.D. Owsley Scholarship Award
• $2,000 and $3,000
  • Alexander & Geraldine Wanek Named Grant
  • Arthur A. Meyerhoff Memorial Grant
  • B.J. Harrod Scholarship
  • Bernold M. "Bruno" Hanson Memorial Environmental Grant
  • Chevron Texaco Scholars Program
  • Don R. Boyd Memorial Grant
  • Donald A. O'Nesky Named Grant
  • Dorothy Lemke Howarth Scholarship
  • Dorothy M. & Earl S. Hoffman Scholarship
  • Doy C. Deem Scholarship
  • Duncan A. McNaughton Memorial Grant
  • Energy Cup Scholarship
  • Energy Minerals Grant
  • Epsilon Pi Tau-Chester G. Taylor Scholarship
  • Frank E. Kottlowski Memorial Grant
  • Gordon I. Atwater Memorial Grant
  • Hans Gilde Scholarship
  • Harold J. Funkhouser Memorial Grant
  • Horst & Jessie von Bandst Memorial Grant
  • Hugh D. Miser Memorial Grant
  • Ivy M. Parker Memorial Scholarship
  • J. Elmer Thomas Past Presidents Memorial Grant
  • James W. Milliken Memorial Grant
  • Jean G. Funkhouser Memorial Grant
  • John E. Kilkenny Memorial Grant
  • John Teagle Memorial Grant
  • Kenneth H. Crandall Memorial Grant
  • Key Energy Services Scholarship
  • L. Austin Weeks Named Grant
  • Marilyn "Mimi" Atwater Memorial Grant
  • Marta Sutton Weeks Named Grant
  • Martin Foundation (Trust Company of Oklahoma)
  • MASWE Scholarship
  • Meridith Thoms Memorial Scholarships
  • Merrill W. Haas Memorial Grant
  • Michel T. Halbouty Named Grant
  • Nancy Setzer Murray Memorial Grant
  • Norman H. Foster Memorial Grant
  • Oklahoma City-Tulsa Chapter of Gas Processors Association (GPA)
  • Olive Lynn Salembier Memorial Reentry Scholarship
  • Paul Danheim Nelson Named Grant
  • Peter Warren Gester Memorial Grant
  • Petroleum Division Scholarship (undergraduate)
  • R. Dana Russell Memorial Grant
  • Raymond C. Moore Memorial Grant
  • Raymond D. Woods Memorial Grant
  • Richard C. Hasson Memorial Grant
  • Richard W. Beardsley Grant
  • Robert K. Goldhammer Memorial Grant
  • Ronny G. Altman Petroleum Engineering Scholarship
  • S.J. Cerny Engineering Scholarship
  • Sherman A. Wengard Memorial Grant
  • Sonat Foundation Minority Engineering Scholarship
  • Suzanne Takken Memorial Grant
  • SWE Past Presidents Scholarship
  • Thomas A. Hendricks Memorial Grant
  • W. David Wiman Memorial Grant
  • Weimer Family Named Grant
  • William Dow Hamm Memorial Grant
• $4,000 and $5,000
  • Alexander & Geraldine Wanek Named Grant
  • Arthur A. Meyerhoff Memorial Grant
  • Demonstration of Energy-Efficient Developments (DEED) Program Scholarship
  • Demonstration of Energy-Efficient Developments (DEED) Technical Design Project Award
  • Duke Energy Foundation Scholarship
  • Electronics For Imaging Scholarship
  • HENAAC High School Senior-College Freshman Award
  • HENAAC Student Leadership Award
  • HENAAC Viva Technology Award
  • Lockheed Martin Corporation Scholarship
  • Lydia I. Pickup Memorial Scholarship
  • New Jersey Scholarship
  • Northrop Grumman Corporation Scholarship