USA Scholarships
New Face of Tech Scholarship 2027 - $1,500 STEAM
The New Face of Tech Scholarship 2027 is the tenth annual challenge from 1,000 Dreams Fund and HARMAN, built to spotlight women with big ambitions in STEAM. Each cycle, fifty winners receive $1,500 toward educational needs such as textbooks, STEAM programs, conference fees, or graduate exam costs, plus career coaching with HARMAN professionals and, for U.S.-based recipients, JBL products. You apply by sharing a photo and short answers about your tech or creative STEAM goals through the online New Face of Tech Challenge when the window opens. Eligibility requires you to be a woman age 18 or older, currently enrolled at a two-year college, four-year university, or graduate program, and able to document financial need. Enrollment can be anywhere in the world, though this guide focuses on applicants studying in the United States. The ninth cycle closed in December 2025; the next round typically launches in late October with a December deadline and winner posts in mid-January. Check 1000dreamsfund.org or join the 1DF Student Membership list for the live challenge link.
What is the New Face of Tech Scholarship?
The New Face of Tech Scholarship is one of the louder annual calls for women who want STEAM careers to look like them. Since 2017, 1,000 Dreams Fund has teamed up with HARMAN, the Samsung-owned audio and connected-tech company, to put money and mentorship behind that idea. Each year the program names fifty "New Faces of Tech," sends each winner $1,500, pairs them with HARMAN coaches, and shares their stories online so the next cohort sees real paths into engineering, design, music production, and other tech-adjacent fields.
You do not need a perfect GPA deck or a twenty-page research paper to enter. The challenge is built around a photo and a handful of short answers that show who you are, what you are studying, and how you plan to grow in STEAM. That format matches how the fund talks about access: lower the friction, keep the bar on ambition and need.
Because the partnership repeats every fall, dates shift slightly but the rhythm holds. Applications usually open in late October, close in early or mid-December, and winners land in January. If you are reading this before the tenth challenge link goes live, bookmark the program page and watch 1DF social accounts so you are not guessing the URL on the last day.
The grant is intentionally narrow in what it pays for. Textbooks, exam fees, and STEAM programs fit; semester tuition and dorm bills do not. Treat the $1,500 as fuel for the next concrete step in your path, not a full ride. Combined with mentorship and visibility, that is the package HARMAN and 1DF have refined over nine completed cycles and more than $300,000 in awards.
Eligibility
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✓Woman age 18 or olderThe program is open to women and femmes who are at least 18 at the time of application. High school students who are not yet enrolled in a post-secondary program do not meet the published enrollment rule.
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✓Currently enrolled in college or graduate schoolYou must be actively enrolled in a two-year college, four-year university, or graduate school and be ready to show proof of current enrollment if selected. Gap-year students without enrollment are not eligible under the standing criteria.
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✓Pursuing a STEAM-related pathYour degree or career goal should connect to science, technology, engineering, arts, or mathematics. Past winners include engineers, designers, musicians, and filmmakers, not only computer science majors.
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✓Demonstrate financial need1,000 Dreams Fund requires applicants to show financial need as part of the application. Selection weighs both your submission quality and documented need, so gather any aid office or personal budget context the form requests.
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✓First-time recipient onlyPrevious New Face of Tech Scholarship winners may not reapply. If you won an earlier cycle, look at other 1DF programs instead.
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✓Complete the New Face of Tech Challenge on timeApplications run through the annual online challenge page, not a paper packet. Missing the published deadline disqualifies the entry even if your profile fits every other rule.
Benefits
- Cash grant $1,500 per winner (50 awards per cycle)
- HARMAN mentorship Career coaching with HARMAN professionals
- JBL product (U.S. winners) Consumer audio gear from HARMAN
- Public spotlight Featured profile on 1DF website and social media
- Textbooks and STEAM programs Eligible use of funds
- Tuition and room and board Not covered by this fund
- Renewability One-time award; past winners cannot reapply
Document checklist
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✓New Face of Tech Challenge online formSubmit through the live challenge URL posted on 1000dreamsfund.org when the cycle opens. The form collects your photo, short answers about your STEAM goals, and contact details.
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✓Photo showcasing you and your STEAM dreamUpload a clear photo that represents who you are and what you hope to achieve in tech or creative STEAM fields. Past cycles asked for a snapshot plus brief narrative responses rather than a long essay.
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✓Proof of current school enrollmentBe prepared to verify enrollment at a two-year college, four-year university, or graduate program if you advance in selection. An unofficial transcript or enrollment letter usually suffices when requested.
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✓Financial need documentation (if requested)Because need is an explicit selection factor, keep FAFSA summaries, aid award letters, or other budget context handy in case staff ask for verification after you apply.
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✓Short answers on tech career commitmentDraft thoughtful responses explaining how winning would accelerate your STEAM path. Reviewers look for clarity, creativity, and a genuine plan rather than generic statements.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the New Face of Tech Scholarship?
It is an annual partnership between 1,000 Dreams Fund and HARMAN that awards fifty $1,500 grants to women enrolled in college or graduate school who are pursuing STEAM careers. Winners also receive HARMAN mentorship and, for U.S.-based recipients, JBL products plus promotion on 1DF channels.
Who is eligible for the New Face of Tech Scholarship?
You must be a woman age 18 or older, currently enrolled in a two-year college, four-year university, or graduate program, pursuing a STEAM-related path, and able to demonstrate financial need. Previous winners cannot reapply. International enrollment is allowed, though this guide centers on students in the United States.
How much is the New Face of Tech Scholarship worth?
Each of the fifty winners per cycle receives $1,500. The money is meant for educational assistance such as textbooks, STEAM workshops, conference fees, or graduate exam applications. It does not pay ongoing tuition, room, or board under the published fund rules.
When is the New Face of Tech Scholarship deadline?
The ninth cycle ran from 22 October through 12 December 2025. The tenth cycle is expected to follow the same late-fall window in 2026, with winners announced around mid-January 2027. Always confirm the exact dates on the 1,000 Dreams Fund program page when the challenge opens.
How do I apply for the New Face of Tech Scholarship?
Apply through the New Face of Tech Challenge webpage when 1DF publishes it each fall. You upload a photo, answer short prompts about your STEAM ambitions, and submit before the deadline. Email [email protected] if the live link is not yet posted.
Can men apply for the New Face of Tech Scholarship?
No. The program is designed for women and femmes pursuing STEAM fields. Men looking for tech funding should browse other nationwide STEM scholarships on this site, such as the Supporting STEM Scholarship or AfterCollege engineering awards.
Does the New Face of Tech Scholarship cover full tuition?
No. The $1,500 grant is partial funding for specific educational costs like books, programs, and exam fees. Tuition, housing, and meal plans are explicitly excluded from eligible uses in the official guidelines.
Do New Face of Tech winners get HARMAN mentorship?
Yes. Along with the cash award, winners receive career coaching sessions with HARMAN professionals through 1DF mentoring. U.S.-based winners also receive JBL consumer products as part of the prize package.
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