USA Scholarships
Gunter Scholarship 2027 - $1,000+ Georgia
The Connie and Robert T. Gunter Scholarship honors manufacturing students tied to three Georgia engineering campuses. SME Education Foundation reviewers look for full-time undergraduates in manufacturing engineering or technology at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Georgia Southern in Statesboro, or Kennesaw State University in Marietta (the legacy Southern Polytechnic site). You must finish at least 30 college credits and hold a 3.5 GPA before the February deadline. Minimum awards run $1,000, with higher amounts possible when the fund balance allows, and dollars credit toward tuition, fees, or books only. File the single SME Education Foundation application at scholarships.smeef.org during the November 1 through February 1 window; the portal routes qualified Gunter applicants automatically.
What is the Connie and Robert T. Gunter Scholarship?
Georgia manufacturing needs engineers who can bridge design software and production floors, and the Gunter fund narrows SME Education Foundation dollars to three campuses that feed that pipeline. Connie and Robert T. Gunter left a named scholarship for students in manufacturing engineering or technology at Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern, and the Marietta engineering campus now housed inside Kennesaw State.
The academic bar is explicit: full-time enrollment, 30 credits finished, and a 3.5 GPA. That filters out freshmen still exploring majors and rewards students who already committed to manufacturing coursework. Awards start at $1,000, which will not cover Atlanta rent, but SMEEF can increase the amount when the fund balance allows, and you may reapply in later years even though a single award is not automatically renewable.
You do not hunt for a separate Gunter PDF. Everything runs through the unified SMEEF portal that opens every November 1 and slams shut February 1. One application puts you in front of Gunter plus dozens of other manufacturing scholarships, so invest time in a recommendation from someone who has seen you run equipment or solve a production problem.
Mark February 1, 2027 on your calendar, keep your transcript ready, and write like you already belong in a plant leadership rotation. Reviewers volunteer their evenings in March, the board decides in May, and you should hear back by June if you are the top candidate for this Georgia-specific fund.
Eligibility
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✓Manufacturing engineering or technology majorYou must pursue a degree in manufacturing engineering or manufacturing technology. Other majors do not match the Gunter fund even if they touch engineering broadly.
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✓Enrollment at an approved Georgia institutionAttend Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Southern University, or Kennesaw State University (Marietta). Older materials reference Southern College of Technology; that campus is now part of Kennesaw State.
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✓Full-time undergraduate statusRegister as a full-time student in a four-year degree program at one of the listed schools.
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✓At least 30 completed credit hoursYou need 30 or more college credits at application time. High school seniors and first-year students without that credit count should wait for a later cycle.
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✓Minimum 3.5 cumulative GPAMaintain a 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale. SMEEF verifies grades through your uploaded transcript.
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✓Citizenship rules follow SMEEF portalSME Education Foundation scholarships generally serve U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and eligible Canadian students. Confirm your status in the registration form before you submit.
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✓Financial need only as tiebreakerNeed is not primary unless two applicants are equally qualified, per published fund rules.
Benefits
- Minimum amount $1,000; higher if funding allows
- Allowed uses Tuition, fees, or books only
- Number of awards Often one recipient; varies with funding
- Reapplication You may apply in future SMEEF cycles
- Automatic renewal Award described as non-renewable
- Room and board Not covered by fund rules
Document checklist
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✓SME Education Foundation online applicationCreate an account at scholarships.smeef.org/applications/ and complete the unified application when it opens each November.
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✓Official or unofficial transcriptUpload college transcripts showing 30+ credits and a 3.5 cumulative GPA in manufacturing coursework.
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✓Personal statement or essayExplain manufacturing career goals and why your Georgia program prepares you for industry leadership.
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✓Resume or activity summaryList co-ops, machining labs, robotics teams, SME student chapter work, and internships that prove hands-on manufacturing interest.
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✓Letter of recommendationProvide at least one recommendation, typically from a professor or supervisor who can speak to your technical ability.
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✓Proof of full-time enrollmentBe ready to confirm registration at Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern, or Kennesaw State if reviewers ask during spring evaluation.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
Which Georgia colleges qualify for the Gunter Scholarship?
Eligible campuses are Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Southern University, and Kennesaw State University in Marietta. Legacy references to Southern College of Technology point to the Kennesaw State Marietta engineering campus.
How much is the Connie and Robert T. Gunter Scholarship?
The minimum award is $1,000, and students may receive more when additional funding is available. Dollars apply only to tuition, fees, or books.
What GPA do I need for the Gunter Scholarship?
You must hold at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale and have completed 30 or more college credit hours.
Do I apply separately for the Gunter fund?
No. You submit one SME Education Foundation application at scholarships.smeef.org, and the system considers you for Gunter if your profile matches the fund rules.
When does the Gunter Scholarship application open?
SMEEF opens the portal on November 1 each year and closes it on February 1. Plan for November 1, 2026 through February 1, 2027 for the next cycle.
Is the Gunter Scholarship renewable?
Published descriptions list the award as non-renewable, though you may submit a new SMEEF application in a later year if you still qualify.
Does financial need affect Gunter selection?
Merit drives the decision. Financial need matters only when two applicants are equally qualified.
Where is the official Gunter application?
Apply through https://scholarships.smeef.org/applications/ when the cycle is open. Program overview pages live on smeef.org.
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