USA Scholarships
Donald & Shirley Hastings Scholarship 2027 - $2,500
The Donald and Shirley Hastings Scholarship is a national AWS Foundation award that pays $2,500 toward a bachelor's degree in welding engineering (WE) or welding engineering technology (WET). You must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18, hold a high school diploma, and maintain a 2.5 GPA while attending an accredited U.S. institution. Financial need is required, so file the FAFSA and upload proof through the AWS scholarship portal. Selection committees prioritize welding engineering students and applicants who live or attend school in Iowa, Ohio, or California. National applications open December 1, 2026 and close March 1, 2027, with awards announced between May and July.
What is the Donald and Shirley Hastings Scholarship?
The Donald and Shirley Hastings Scholarship is one of more than a hundred national funds inside the AWS Foundation portfolio, but the rules are narrow on purpose. Donors wanted welding engineering students, especially those training for four-year WE degrees, to have a need-based boost that recognizes how specialized that path is compared with general trades programs.
AWS runs the competition through scholarship.aws.org, where your Academic Profile decides which awards appear on your dashboard. Hastings shows up when you are a U.S. citizen at least eighteen years old, carrying a 2.5 GPA or better, and enrolled toward a bachelor's in welding engineering or welding engineering technology. Financial need is not a footnote here. File the FAFSA, upload the proof AWS requests, and expect reviewers to weigh your Student Aid Report alongside your essay and recommendations.
Geography still nudges the ranking. Iowa, Ohio, and California residents and students get priority, yet applicants from other states win when their welding engineering story is clear and their paperwork is complete. The $2,500 award is renewable if you reapply and stay eligible, up to four years total. Mark December 1, 2026 on your calendar for the portal opening, finish before March 1, 2027, and watch for spring or early summer notification windows that AWS uses for national selections.
Eligibility
-
✓U.S. citizenshipApplicants must be citizens of the United States and plan to attend an academic institution located within the United States for the award year.
-
✓Minimum age 18You must be at least eighteen years old when you apply. High school seniors who meet the age rule and hold a diploma may compete alongside continuing college students.
-
✓High school diploma or equivalentAWS requires a minimum of a high school diploma before you enroll in the bachelor's program this scholarship supports.
-
✓Welding engineering majorPursue a minimum four-year bachelor's degree in welding engineering or welding engineering technology. Priority goes to welding engineering (WE) students over welding engineering technology (WET) when files are otherwise equal.
-
✓2.5 GPA minimumMaintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. Upload an official transcript that shows your current GPA and enrollment in an accredited program.
-
✓Documented financial needProof of financial need is required. File the FAFSA and provide the financial need analysis AWS requests in the portal so reviewers can compare your Expected Family Contribution against cost of attendance.
-
✓Iowa, Ohio, or California priorityPriority goes to individuals residing or attending school in Iowa, Ohio, or California. AWS defines a resident as having lived in the specified state for at least one year, but students outside those states remain eligible.
Benefits
- Cash scholarship $2,500 per award year
- Renewability Reapply annually up to four years total
- Eligible majors Welding engineering or WET bachelor's
- Disbursement Sent directly to your institution per AWS policy
- Tuition and fees Applied toward qualified program costs
- Full tuition coverage Not covered; flat $2,500 award
- International study U.S. institutions only
Document checklist
-
✓AWS scholarship portal applicationComplete Contact Information, Academic Profile, and Personal Statement sections at scholarship.aws.org so the system displays every national scholarship you qualify for, including Hastings.
-
✓Official transcriptSubmit an official transcript showing your 2.5 or higher GPA and current enrollment in a welding engineering or welding engineering technology bachelor's program.
-
✓FAFSA Student Aid ReportFile the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and upload the SAR or other financial need documentation AWS lists for need-based national awards.
-
✓Two letters of recommendationProvide two recommendation letters from instructors, employers, or mentors who can speak to your welding studies, character, and readiness for a welding engineering career.
-
✓Personal statementWrite the personal statement AWS requires in the portal, focusing on your welding engineering goals and how the Hastings award would support your training.
-
✓Enrollment verificationSupply proof of enrollment or admission at an accredited U.S. college or university for the academic year covered by the scholarship.
-
✓Optional AWS student membershipMembership is not always mandatory for every national fund, but AWS encourages a free student membership because selection committees often prioritize members when choosing among similar applicants.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the Donald and Shirley Hastings Scholarship?
It is a $2,500 AWS Foundation national scholarship for U.S. citizens pursuing a four-year bachelor's in welding engineering or welding engineering technology. The fund honors donors Donald and Shirley Hastings and selects one strong applicant each cycle, with priority for welding engineering majors and students tied to Iowa, Ohio, or California.
How much is the Hastings AWS scholarship worth?
The award is $2,500 for one academic year. Prior recipients may reapply and receive the scholarship for up to four years total if they continue to meet eligibility and financial need requirements.
When is the Donald and Shirley Hastings Scholarship deadline?
AWS opens national scholarship applications on December 1, 2026. The standard deadline for national awards is March 1, 2027. Confirm the date inside the scholarship portal when you apply.
Do I need to major in welding engineering to apply?
You must pursue a bachelor's in welding engineering or welding engineering technology. AWS gives priority to welding engineering students, but qualified welding engineering technology majors who meet GPA, citizenship, and need rules remain eligible.
Does the Hastings Scholarship require financial need?
Yes. Proof of financial need is required, including a filed FAFSA. AWS compares your Expected Family Contribution from the Student Aid Report against your cost of attendance when scoring need-based funds.
Do I have to live in Iowa, Ohio, or California?
No, but priority goes to residents or students attending school in Iowa, Ohio, or California. AWS defines residency as living in the state for at least one year. Applicants from other states may still win if their files are strong.
Is AWS membership required for the Hastings Scholarship?
Membership is not always mandatory for every national award, but AWS strongly encourages a free student membership because committees often prioritize members when choosing among similar applicants.
Can I renew the Donald and Shirley Hastings Scholarship?
Yes. Recipients may reapply in later cycles and receive the award for a maximum of four years, provided they continue to meet citizenship, GPA, major, enrollment, and financial need requirements.
Scholarship Union
More in-depth scholarship guides curated by experts.
Related guides
Always verify scholarship details on the official source before applying. Information on this page may change.
Visit official website