Scholarships & Financial Aid
Scholarships Awarded Through ME
The Department of Mechanical Engineering has a variety of scholarships to offer through the department. These are largely independent of scholarships offered through the College of Science and Engineering or other outside sources. Students can apply for scholarships through ME even if they have already received scholarships from other sources.
The following are considered in choosing scholarship recipients:
- Academic achievements (grade point average).
- Course load maintained by the student during their program at the University of Minnesota and focus on classes needed to earn a mechanical engineering degree.
- Financial need (students with need are encouraged to describe their situation in their personal statement)
- Participation in academic opportunities such as research, studying abroad, internships, and the Co-op program
- Activity in campus and other professionally related organizations.
- Leadership and community service.
- Quality of a 1-2 page personal statement submitted with the scholarship application package.
Submissions are reviewed by a committee and scored on the above information (Personal Statement, GPA, Engagement) and scholarships are matching based on fit to scholarship requirements.
Applying for ME Scholarships
Eligibility: A student must be an upper division mechanical engineering student at the time of applying to qualify for a scholarship and will be in school during the 2026-2027 academic year.
Application Period: Scholarship applications are accepted during the spring semester and awarded the following academic year (notices are sent out in the summer).
Application Deadline: Tuesday, March 3, 2026 at 11:59pm
Submission Process: Complete the form below. Questions can be sent to [email protected]
Specific Interest Scholarships
A few scholarships are targeted at students with specific professional interests. Students with these interests are encouraged to point them out in their personal statement. Stating an interest in one of these scholarships will not reduce your chances to earn one of the more general scholarships. More information on the interest-specific scholarships can be found below.
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American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
With more than 57,000 members from over 132 nations, ASHRAE is a diverse organization dedicated to advancing the arts and sciences of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration to serve humanity and promote a sustainable world.
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Freund Family Scholarship in Mechanical Engineering
The Peter Freund Scholarship is intended to recognize mechanical engineering students with a strong interest in or connection with GLBTA programs or who are members of a GLBTA group on campus.
If no candidates meet the GLBTA criteria, other candidates who meet the following additional criteria will be considered.
Additional criteria:
- Awardee is a full-time student in mechanical engineering
- Awardee demonstrates financial need
- Awardee has an interest in focusing their technical electives in the thermal environmental arena
Background:
Peter W. Freund created this scholarship in 2013 to celebrate his 30-year career as an engineer in the refrigeration industry and to help others pursue degrees in engineering.
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Hans O. Nyman/Ever-Green Energy Scholarship
The Hans O. Nyman Scholarship is awarded to students who have interest in district heating and cooling, cogeneration, energy conservation, and/or environmental quality improvement. The scholarship is provided by Ever-Green Energy, Inc. and the St. Paul Foundation.
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Katsuhiko Ogata Scholarship for System Dynamics & Control
The Katsuhiko Ogata Scholarship is awarded to a student who has an interest in working in the area of system dynamics and control. This scholarship was established by an alumnus to honor Professor Ogata, a distinguished faculty member of our department whose textbooks on system dynamics and controls set the standard for these topics and achieved worldwide recognition.
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Leonard Chang Un Park Memorial Scholarship
The Leonard Chang Un Park Memorial Scholarship will be given to students who are either first-generation college students from MN or students who have lived, worked, or studied in a developing country.
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Lucian Husar Scholarship Award
The Lucian Husar Scholarship Award is awarded to a student who is pursuing a mechanical engineering degree, shows proficiency in computational methods, and demonstrates high academic merit. Lucian Husar earned his ME degree at Asachi Technical University in Iaşi, Romania. During his career with Caterpillar, he stood out for his remarkable skill at computational analysis and mentorship of many young engineers. Husar specialized in designing pavement machinery, and he was the sole and co-inventor of many patents.
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Horton Scholarship
The Horton Scholarship is awarded to students with an interest in powertrain engineering. This award is renewable dependent on satisfactory progress towards a degree.
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Tom Murphy & B.J. Robertson Scholarship for Internal Combustion Engine Research
The Tom Murphy & B. J. Robertson scholarship is awarded to a student who has an interest in internal combustion engine research. This scholarship honors Professor Murphy, a former faculty member with legendary enthusiasm for internal combustion engine research.