The Southern Automotive Women’s Forum Scholarship

The Southern Automotive Women’s Forum (SAWF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering and advancing women’s careers in the automotive industry. One of the ways SAWF pursues its mission is by awarding annual scholarships to exceptional female students interested in pursuing STEM or business-related degrees relevant to the automotive sector. This article discusses the eligibility requirements and selection criteria for the SAWF scholarship, as well as some top European schools where recipients have studied.

To be considered for the SAWF scholarship, applicants must be female students enrolled full-time at an accredited post-secondary institution. They must be pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in a field related to science, technology, engineering, mathematics, communications, business administration, or marketing. Preference is given to applicants studying automotive engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial design, supply chain management, finance, or marketing communications.

SAWF scholarships are merit-based awards, so academic achievement is the primary selection criterion. Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale and demonstrate a strong work ethic as well as leadership abilities through extracurricular activities, internships, or previous work experience in the automotive sector. Personal statements and letters of recommendation emphasizing the applicant’s passions, goals, and qualifications are also evaluated. Financial need, while not a deciding factor, may be taken into consideration.

Past SAWF scholarship recipients have attended some of Europe’s top universities for automotive-related fields of study. In the UK, popular schools include the University of Warwick which offers a dedicated Master’s in Automotive Engineering, as well as several Bachelor’s and Master’s programs in mechanical engineering, business, and marketing through which students can specialize in the automotive industry. University College London’s Faculty of Engineering Sciences ranks highly for automotive and transport-focused degrees. In Germany, top automotive programs can be found at RWTH Aachen University and the University of Stuttgart which has a long tradition of excellence in automotive engineering.

In France, prestigious automotive engineering programs are available at Arts et Métiers ParisTech and École Centrale de Nantes. Past recipients have also benefited from the automotive-focused curricula available through Italy’s Polytechnic University of Turin and the Technical University of Madrid in Spain which emphasizes mobility and transport technologies. Scandinavian countries like Sweden and Denmark are leaders in sustainable transportation, so schools like Chalmers University of Technology and the Technical University of Denmark also offer appealing options for automotive-devoted studies.

No matter the country or school, SAWF scholarship winners gain career-accelerating opportunities through paid internships and industry connections supported by the organization. Participating companies hope to recruit talented students to pipeline into roles throughout the automotive ecosystem. The scholarship strives to offset financial barriers that may prevent exceptional students from pursuing their automotive passions and maximize their potential to advance within the industry. As the automotive sector undergoes rapid technological changes, SAWF remains dedicated to developing the next generation of female leaders equipped to guide these transformations.

In summary, the Southern Automotive Women’s Forum Scholarship is a prestigious award enabling exceptional female students to advance their automotive-related studies at top European universities. Academic merit, demonstrated interests, and goals alignment are prioritized in the selection process. Recipients gain invaluable industry exposure and professional development to launch rewarding automotive careers. SAWF works to empower the brightest minds as drivers of progress both within their fields of study and the automotive community at large.

All the best!