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Marine Studies Scholarships

Each year MTS awards significant scholarship funding to undergraduate and graduate students who are accepted into or enrolled in full-time marine-related programs (with a focus on marine technology, marine engineering, or marine science).

MTS also offers the Emerging Leaders in Marine Technology Program (EMERGE) designed to give undergraduate and graduate students as well as early career ocean professionals (ECOPs) a guided program to enhance their professional development and networking experience at OCEANS Conferences. To learn more about EMERGE, including the program timeline, eligibility, and how to apply click here.

Scholarships Available to MTS Student Members

John C. Bajus Scholarship - $1,000 - Open to MTS members who are full-time graduate or undergraduate students currently enrolled in or accepted into in a 2-year or 4-year marine studies program at an accredited college, university, or technical institution. Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to community service and/or volunteer activities.

Dieter Family Scholarship - Up to $1,500 - Open to MTS members who are full-time graduate or undergraduate students currently enrolled in or accepted into in a 2-year or 4-year marine studies program at an accredited college, university, or technical institution. Full student registration and UP TO $1,500 for travel-related expenses to attend the OCEANS Conference. Winners are strongly encouraged to volunteer while at OCEANS. Winners will be required to submit an expense report with all receipts to ensure the money was used properly. Final approval will be determined by the MTS office.

The Paros-Digiquartz Scholarship - $2,000 - Open to MTS members who are full-time graduate or undergraduate students currently enrolled in or accepted into in a 2-year or 4-year marine studies program at an accredited college, university, or technical institution. Applicants must have an interest in marine instrumentation.

Charles H. Bussmann Undergraduate Scholarship - $2,500 - Open to MTS members who are full-time undergraduate students currently enrolled in or accepted into in a 2-year or 4-year marine studies program at an accredited college, university, or technical institution.

Charles H. Bussmann Graduate Scholarship - $2,500 - Open to MTS members who are full-time graduate students currently enrolled in or accepted into a marine studies program at an accredited institution.

MTS ROV Committee Scholarship - $5,000 - Open to MTS members who are full-time undergraduate students currently enrolled in or accepted into in a 2-year or 4-year marine studies program at an accredited college, university, or technical institution. Applicants must demonstrate an interest in Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs).

Eligibility for Scholarships

To be eligible for consideration, applicants are required to be active members of MTS, with student memberships available for $25 per year. Additionally, applicants must be full-time graduate or undergraduate students currently enrolled in or accepted into in a 2-year or 4-year marine studies program at an accredited college, university, or technical institution. It is important to note that students who were recipients of a scholarship in the previous year are not eligible to reapply for the same scholarship in the following year.

If membership dues pose a barrier for you to apply, please contact [email protected].

Deadline

The 2025 MTS Scholarship application period is now open! Click here to apply by March 18, 2025.

Requirements for Scholarships

Each scholarship has a different set of criteria, click here to view. Please review the criteria for the scholarship to which you are applying. In most cases, you’ll need to submit an essay on marine technology interests, a recommendation letter, and an unofficial transcript. The letter of recommendation should be from a teacher, counselor, professor, advisor, co-op, or internship supervisor who can speak to your experiences in a marine-related context, including research conducted. Please upload the letter of recommendation on the form. If the person drafting the letter prefers, they can also send it directly to our email at [email protected].

The review committee will use a rubric to evaluate the scholarship applications in late spring.