Welding Scholarships and Grants

AWS Welding Scholarships From the AWS Foundation

The AWS Foundation, founded in 1989, is the philanthropic arm of the American Welding Society and awards roughly $2 million in scholarships and grants. Since 1993 it has awarded more than 18,000 welding scholarships worth over $15 million. It also gives secondary and post-secondary schools up to $25,000 in grants for equipment and lab materials, which is worth asking a school about.

Source: AWS Foundation scholarships page, reviewed September 28, 2026. National, District and Section selections are announced between May and July.

Who Qualifies for an AWS Foundation Scholarship

• Your program must be a welding program or have more than 50% of its coursework in welding. Certificate programs must be at least 360 hours long.
• Union and apprenticeship programs qualify if you document the required expenses.
• The money can go to tuition, fees, books, supplies or equipment required for your courses.
• Some scholarships require AWS membership, and the Foundation strongly encourages a free AWS Student Membership.
• Students from other countries can apply if they attend welding school in North America; some awards are limited to U.S. citizens.

One application covers everything: once you finish the contact, academic profile and personal statement sections at the Foundation's portal, it shows every scholarship you're eligible for. The 360-hour minimum matters for short programs. A 480-hour combination course like Lynnes Welding Training's qualifies on hours; a 42-hour evening session doesn't.

Scholarships and Tuition Programs at Welding Schools

The next-biggest source is often the college itself, or a state program it takes part in. These come straight from school welding pages:

As stated on each school's official welding page, reviewed September 2026. Eligibility rules are the school's or the state's; check them for your start term.

Apply in This Order

1. File the FAFSA as early as you can. It decides your Pell Grant and many state and college grants; several states hand out aid until it runs out.
2. Ask the college's financial aid and foundation offices which welding scholarships they run, and whether your program qualifies for any state grant.
3. Apply to the AWS Foundation between December 1 and March 1, or any time for a Welder Training Scholarship.
4. Check veterans' and workforce benefits: the GI Bill, and WIOA funds through your American Job Center.
5. Borrow only for what's left, starting with subsidized federal loans.

Federal Pell Grants

The largest welding grants most students receive are federal and open to any eligible student. The maximum Pell Grant is $7,395 for the 2026-27 award year. Pell usually goes to undergraduates with exceptional financial need who haven't earned a bachelor's degree, and students in an eligible workforce program might also qualify. Your award depends on your Student Aid Index, the program's cost of attendance, full- or part-time status and program length. The school must take part in federal aid, which requires accreditation. See our financial aid guide.

GI Bill for Welding School

• The Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33) helps pay for school or cover expenses while you train for a job.
• You may qualify with at least 90 days of active duty on or after September 11, 2001, among other routes.
• The maximum Post-9/11 GI Bill entitlement is 36 months.
• GI Bill benefits can be used for non-college degree programs by Veterans, service members, Guard and Reserve members and qualified dependents.

WIOA Workforce Training Funds

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act helps job seekers access employment, education, training and support services through American Job Centers. If you're unemployed, changing careers or facing barriers to work, your local center can tell you whether welding training qualifies in your area.

Employer-Paid Training and Apprenticeships

BLS notes that some employers pay the cost of training and testing for employees, and that some apprenticeships take entry-level workers with no prior experience. Apprentices earn wages while they train. Search openings on Apprenticeship.gov.