2026 Charging our Future Scholarship

The Charging our Future engineering scholarship is a comprehensive program that combines financial support with a paid, hands-on summer internship to prepare students for impactful careers in the energy sector. This opportunity is designed for engineering students pursuing a bachelor’s degree who demonstrate financial need.

Recipients will gain practical engineering experience in the energy sector, build professional networks, and develop technical skills that connect classroom learning to industry practice. While all engineering students are eligible to apply, priority will be given to applicants with a concentration in power systems engineering or coursework in power systems.

National Grid will provide 10 scholarships annually, 5 for New York residents, and 5 for Massachusetts residents.

• Award Amount: Each scholarship is worth $10,000 per academic year, split into two payments: one for the fall semester ($5,000) and one for the spring semester ($5,000).

• Duration: Scholarships can be awarded for up to two academic years, for a maximum two-year award amount of up to $20,000. To be considered for renewal, applicants must:

  • Submit a new application

  • Maintain satisfactory academic performance

  • Successfully complete the paid summer internship that is part of this program

  • Remain enrolled full-time in an eligible engineering major

• Awards are for undergraduate study only

This scholarship is designed as a package deal—financial support plus a hands-on internship—to provide real-world experience and build a career in the energy sector.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Applicants must be high school seniors, high school graduates, or current college undergraduates with a permanent home residence of New York or Massachusetts.

• United States work authorization – and ability to work a paid summer internship

• Minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or above (on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent)

• Plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study at an accredited four-year college or university located in New York or Massachusetts for the upcoming academic year

• All engineering majors are eligible; however, priority will be given to electrical engineers, particularly those with a major, minor, concentration, or coursework in Power Systems Engineering

• Applicants must demonstrate financial need through receipt of the federal Pell grant

Application Materials Required:

• FAFSA Submission Summary – this requires all applicants to have the FAFSA completed before applying for the scholarship

• Official high school and college transcripts (for existing college students)

  • For the application, unofficial transcripts will be accepted, but official transcripts are required before any awards are made. It is preferred that official transcripts are submitted with the application.

• Recommendation questionnaire:

  • From the application platform, you will be asked to send out a recommendation questionnaire to two people.

  • You will need their first name, last name, email address, and you will be allowed to send them a short message.

  • The platform will send them a multiple-choice questionnaire for the recommendation; they do not have to write a letter.

  • One person should be a science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) instructor.

  • If applicant participated in a National Grid internship, one recommendation questionnaire should be completed by the National Grid internship supervisor.

Scholarship award determinations will be based on:

• Financial need

• Academic record & work experience

• Demonstrated leadership & participation in school or community events

• Personal statements on why applicant is pursuing an engineering degree and career pathway

Application Timeline:

• Applications Due: Tuesday, March 31, 2026 by 11:59 PM

• Notification Timeframe: Early June 2026

• Award Disbursement Timeframe: Early August 2026

• Public Announcement Timeframe: August 2026