Microsoft Undergraduate Scholarships, USA

A Microsoft scholarship provides a leg so you can pursue undergraduate studies in computer science and related technical disciplines. You will join a community of scholars from the United States, Canada and Mexico who share a passion for technology and academic excellence. It all adds up to achieve your main goal-to make a real difference in the software industry.

Microsoft offers four types of technical scholarships for the 2012-2013 academic year to current undergraduate students: General Scholarship, Women Scholarship, Minority Scholarships, and Scholarships for Students with Disabilities.

Requirements

Basic
Microsoft chose the final candidates based on the following criteria:

* Requirements
* The quality of the application
* Displayed rates in the software industry
* Commitment to leadership
* Financial need

Diversity at Microsoft
We encourage student populations currently underrepresented in the field of computer science to pursue technical degrees. All candidates who meet the criteria for eligibility described below may apply of course, while we do respect the majority of our students scholarships for women, minorities, and persons with disabilities. Minority applicants must belong to one of the following groups underrepresented in the software field: African-American, Hispanic, or Native American.

Provision
As one of our scholarship recipients, you will enjoy the benefits for one academic year. You may receive one full or partial scholarships for the academic year. Full tuition scholarships will cover tuition for the academic year as posted by the financial aid office at your college or university. Microsoft will make payments to designated schools, and they are not transferable to other academic institutions. You can use the funds for tuition only-not for other expenses listed in your treasury bills, such as room and board.

You must also apply for summer internships and if offered an internship, you must complete a salaried summer internship of 12 weeks or more at Microsoft Corporation in Redmond, Washington. (Microsoft reserves the right to not offer an internship position for the scholarship winner if an appropriate partner can not be found.)

Requirements
To be eligible, you must be enrolled full time in undergraduate degree programs in a 4-year college or university in the United States, Canada, or Mexico at the time you submit an application. Plus, we have to see that you are making satisfactory progress toward a degree in computer science, computer engineering, or related technical discipline such as electrical engineering, mathematics, or physics-and that you show interest in computer science. Because merit-based scholarships, you must maintain an average of 3.0 points out of 4.0 cumulative grade possible, or an average of 4.0 points out of 5.0 cumulative grade possible. For more information about eligibility, please read our FAQ.

Application Process
You must include the following six items in your application:

* Continue
* Transcript
* Application details
* Answers to essay questions
* Letters of reference
* Page Printed Confirmation of Online Application for Microsoft Internship Program

That's really all there is, and no additional forms to fill out. Do not forget to include your name on every page of your application package.

Please send your completed application to:

Microsoft Scholarship Program
Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052-8303

Deadline to Apply
Applications must be postmarked by January 16, 2012.

Continue
Make sure your resume includes:

* Your e-mail address
* School address and telephone number
* Student ID number
* Permanent address and telephone number
* The main Academic
* Expected date of graduation

Details of Application
Use one page (total) to answer the following questions:

* What is your estimated tuition for the 2012-2013 academic year (base cost, not including room and board or books)?
* Did you study in the country, from state, private, or international?
* Does Microsoft accept a scholarship any negative impact of financial assistance that you will receive for the 2012-2013 academic year?

Essay Questions
Use of the total (not one page per question) to answer the four following questions:

* Explain how you show your passion for technology outside the classroom.
* Describe the toughest technical problem you've been working on, how do you discuss the problem, your role in achieving the result if it is team-based, and the final result.
* Describe a situation that shows initiative and willingness to go above and beyond.
* Describe how you currently fund your college education.

Letters of Reference
Attach a letter of reference from faculty members (professors or assistant professors) or academic advisor.

Printed Confirmation Page
Must have applied to Microsoft's summer internship. Please enclose a printed copy of the Application Confirmation page, which can be accessed during the application process online. If you have applied to the Microsoft Internship, please indicate below your essay answers so we can verify status.For your specific application questions not answered on this page or in the FAQ, please e-mail scholars@microsoft.com.

FAQ
Here is the question most often asked by our scholarship applicants. If you do not find an answer to your question here or on any other scholarship page, please e-mail scholars@microsoft.com.

Where can I find an application?
A complete application includes five items: your resume, transcripts, answers to essay questions, letters of reference, and a confirmation page is printed from the online application for Microsoft's internship program. If you have applied to the Microsoft Internship, please indicate below your essay answers so we can verify the status of your application. There is no separate application form to send in addition to the above ingredients. Your name must be included on each page of your application.

Can high school, community college or graduate students to apply for this scholarship?
No scholarships available for students who are currently enrolled in a four-year undergraduate degree program.

I studied at a school outside the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Am I eligible to apply?
You do not have to attend a school in North America in order to be eligible for our scholarship program.

Can international students apply for scholarships?
Yes. If you are studying in North America and meets our criteria for scholarship eligibility, you can apply regardless of your nationality.

If I want to apply for scholarships women or minorities, where I show that in my application?
Please indicate which scholarship you are applying for both your cover letter or a page where you answer the essay questions.

Do I need to send official transcripts or unofficial transcripts are acceptable?
If you can not get an official transcript from your school, you can send an unofficial transcript for this moment. However, we will request an official transcript if you are one of the finalists for the scholarship.

What should be included in a letter of recommendation?
We do not have a template for letters of recommendation. Lecturer you should write a letter that supports you as the best candidates to receive scholarships. This letter should address why your professor has this opinion.

For more information, please visit the official site: careers.microsoft.com