Multiple collision industry organizations currently have scholarship applications open for students or future students entering collision repair education programs. Application deadlines for the scholarships close next month.

The Speciality Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Scholarship and Loan Forgiveness program awards up to $5,000 for scholarships and loan assistance for students in academic and technical disciplines that lead to careers in the automotive industry. 

Applications close March 1 for both programs. 

Scholarships eligibility criteria include: 

• • High school senior or 18 years of age at the time of submission
  • U.S. or Canadian citizen (permanent/legal residents are not eligible) 
  • Demonstrated passion for the automotive hobby or career
  • Incoming freshman or continued enrollment in college, university, or post-secondary career and technology school in the U.S. or Canada. 
  • Pursuit of degree or certification that leads to a career in automotive. 

Loan forgiveness eligibility criteria include: 

• • Employed by a SEMA member business
  • Demonstrated passion for automotive hobby or career 
  • Possesses a degree or certificate from a college, university, or career technical school in the U.S. or Canada 
  • Minimum of $2,000 in outstanding student loans. 

Questions can be submitted to SEMAeducation@sema.org. 

Apply here. 

Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) Scholarship and Tool Grant applications are open until March 6. 3M’s “Hire Our Heroes” and Women’s Industry Network (WIN) scholarships are also administered by CREF with a March 6 deadline for applications. 

CREF has awarded more than $9.1 million in scholarships and grants since 2009. 

High school scholarship and tool grant eligibility criteria include: 

• • Senior graduating in spring/summer of the applying year
  • Senior who plans to attend a college collision program immediately following graduation 
  • Seniors who plan to graduate and go directly into a job in the collision industry 

College scholarship and tool grant eligibility criteria include: 

• • Current collision student (any year) 
  • Student interest in going to college for collision (and not currently in high school) beginning in the summer/fall of the applying year. 

“Students will be considered for all scholarships/tool grants that they are eligible for based on the individual eligibility factors of each award,” CERF’s website says. “These eligibility factors can include gender, school attendance, year in school, future plans, outside activities, and/or financial need.”

The 3M “Hire Our Heroes” scholarship is for collision repair students who are currently serving or have recently served in the military. An award is also available for collision repair students who have immediate family members currently serving or have recently served in the military. 

3M “Hire Our Heroes” eligibility criteria: 

• • College student studying collision repair and currently serving or has recently served in the military. 
  • High school senior or college student studying collision repair and has an immediate family member who is serving or has served in the military. 
  • Awards are determined on financial need, future plans, and past academic achievement of the student. 

The WIN scholarship program is open to women pursuing a career in collision repair. 

Apply here for CREF’s Student Scholarship and Tool Grant, 3M “Hire Our Heroes,” or WIN’s scholarship program. 

The ASE Education Foundation is accepting applications for two Michael Busch Memorial Scholarships administered through the University of the Aftermarket Foundation (UAF). 

The deadline to apply is March 31. 

Eligibility criteria include: 

• • Graduating high school senior, 
  • High school diploma or GED 
  • Enrolled or planning to enroll as a full-time student in a two- or four-year college or university or an ASE-accredited post-secondary collision repair program. 

The scholarships were created in memory of the son of ASE board member, Jim Busch. Busch owned a shop in Issaquah, Washington. His son, an automotive technology student, lost his battle with cancer. 

Apply for the scholarship here.

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