USA Trade School Scholarships 2027: Open Deadlines
Two USA trade school scholarships are accepting applications right now: the mikeroweWORKS Work Ethic Scholarship, which closes on October 31, 2026, and the American Welding Society Foundation’s Welder Training Scholarship, which closes on November 30, 2026. Other trade awards run through individual colleges, each with its own dates and rules.
USA Trade School Scholarships Open in October 2026
| Scholarship | Deadline | Apply Link |
|---|---|---|
| mikeroweWORKS Work Ethic Scholarship | October 31, 2026 (decisions announced in December) | Official application portal |
| AWS Welder Training Scholarship (2026-2027 cycle) | November 30, 2026 | Official AWS application page |
| Gene Haas Scholarship, North Central Michigan College ($738) | December 15, 2026 | College scholarship listing |
AWS also runs National, District, and Section scholarships. AWS section pages give March 1 as the deadline for the following fall term, and the main AWS application page currently lists only the Welder Training Scholarship as open. Confirm dates for the specific award on aws.org/foundation before you apply.
mikeroweWORKS Work Ethic Scholarship
The foundation says it is awarding $10 million in work ethic scholarships this year, but it also says it will not hand out the full amount unless applicants meet its standards. In a recent round announcement the foundation reported awards ranging from $500 to $34,000, with an average of $9,100.
| Citizenship | U.S. citizen |
| Education | High school graduate or senior |
| Program | Enrolled or planning to enroll in an approved program of two years or less at an accredited school. Four-year programs do not qualify. |
| Pledge | Sign the S.W.E.A.T. Pledge and answer four short-answer questions about it |
| Video | A short introduction video |
| References | Two references, such as a teacher, employer, or supervisor |
| Documents | Most recent transcript and an official tuition bill or cost statement from your school |
Awards are made four times a year, with applications due April 30, June 30, August 30, and October 31. The October 31 round is announced in December. Approved programs include welding, machining, HVAC, electrical technology, plumbing, diesel, automotive, and heavy equipment operation, among others. Check your program against the foundation’s approved list on its scholarship page.
The official page lists “high school graduate or senior” and does not mention GED holders. If you have a GED, read the program guidelines PDF on the foundation’s site before applying. The cutoff time on October 31 is not stated on the main scholarship page, so submit well before the last day.
AWS Welder Training Scholarship
This is the AWS award written for trade school students. The official application page describes it as being for students seeking welder training in a certificate program less than two years in length, with a November 30 deadline for the 2026-2027 cycle. AWS section pages say each District holds at least 25 of these awards at $1,000.
Applying means registering for a profile, building an academic profile with a personal statement and career objectives, selecting the scholarships you are eligible for based on your profile and location, and then providing references and any required documents. Apply through the AWS scholarship portal.
The larger National scholarships are a separate opportunity. AWS section pages describe them as being for students pursuing a specific degree at an accredited two-year or four-year college, so they suit a short certificate program less well.
Gene Haas Foundation: The Money Goes Through Your College
The Gene Haas Foundation supports machining and CNC students, but students do not generally apply to the foundation itself. Colleges receive the funds and run their own process, so rules, amounts, and dates change from school to school.
- North Central Michigan College: a $738 award for students in CNC Technology training or CNC machining-based engineering programs, with a December 15, 2026 deadline. The listing says eligible students are considered automatically through the college’s General Application, so there is no separate form to find. See the college listing.
- Meridian Community College (Mississippi): awards of $500 to $2,500 per semester for full-time Precision Machining Engineering Technology students. Students who do not receive a full Pell grant can apply, and the college requires you to apply for financial aid first. See the college page.
If your program has CNC or machine tool courses, ask the financial aid office whether the college receives Haas funds and how students are considered.
Which Award Fits Which Trade
| Welding | AWS Welder Training Scholarship (certificate under two years, closes November 30, 2026) and mikeroweWORKS (welding is an approved program) |
| Machining and CNC | Gene Haas awards through individual colleges, plus mikeroweWORKS (machining is an approved program) |
| HVAC, electrical, plumbing | mikeroweWORKS lists all three as approved programs. We did not find a dedicated, currently open national scholarship for them that we could verify from an official source. |
| Diesel, automotive, heavy equipment | mikeroweWORKS lists these as approved programs |
Grants That Fund Colleges, Not You
File the FAFSA First
Some college-run awards require a financial aid application before you can request them, as Meridian Community College does for its Haas scholarships. Ask each program whether it is eligible for federal student aid, because not every short course is.
Common Mistakes
Frequently Asked Questions
The AWS Welder Training Scholarship is written for certificate programs under two years. The mikeroweWORKS scholarship covers approved programs of two years or less. Gene Haas awards depend on the college.
The official scholarship page lists high school graduates and seniors and does not mention a GED. Read the program guidelines PDF on mikeroweworks.org, or ask the foundation, before you apply.
It depends on the award. Meridian Community College requires financial aid to be applied for before a Gene Haas scholarship request. Check the rules on each application.
Related Guides
Sources Used
- mikeroweWORKS Foundation scholarship page
- AWS online scholarship applications
- AWS Foundation
- AWS Atlanta Section scholarship page
- North Central Michigan College, Gene Haas Scholarship
- Meridian Community College, Gene Haas Foundation Scholarships
- SkillsUSA, Gable Grants for community and technical colleges
Scholarship requirements, deadlines, and funding details can change. Always verify current information directly with the official provider before applying.
Written by: Zorvia Editorial Board
Research basis: prepared using official scholarship, college, and program sources
Zorvia Magazine is an independent guidance resource and is not affiliated with the mikeroweWORKS Foundation, the American Welding Society Foundation, the Gene Haas Foundation, or any organization mentioned above.
The Zorvia Editorial Board consists of experienced higher education advisors, academic researchers, and international guidance specialists. Our team is dedicated to researching, verifying, and publishing transparent information on fully funded global scholarships, university admissions, and international student mobility.
