ASCE2027 SEI Student & Young Professional Scholarships

What the Funding Covers

The scholarships provide:

• Complimentary registration for ASCE2027.
• Economy travel reimbursement of up to US$550 under the stated U.S. travel conditions.
• Up to US$175 per night toward lodging and other costs for a maximum of four nights.
• Access to SEI activities and networking opportunities.
• Informal mentorship for scholarship recipients.

The travel and related financial support is reimbursed after the conference, rather than being an upfront travel payment.

This distinction is important for applicants because they may need to pay eligible travel expenses themselves before receiving reimbursement.

ASCE explicitly states that the scholarships are not full-cost reimbursement. Any expenses exceeding the stated allowances remain the recipient's responsibility. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

Eligibility

Eligibility depends on the scholarship route.

For the Student Scholarship, applicants must:

• Be current full-time undergraduate or graduate students.
• Be studying civil engineering or a similar programme.
• Be current SEI members.
• Be able to participate in ASCE2027 in Philadelphia.

For the Young Professional Scholarship, applicants must:

• Be SEI members.
• Be 35 or younger, except for the limited teaching-faculty provision allowing selected full-time teaching faculty through age 40.
• Be working in industry or academia.
• Intend to become more involved with SEI.

For the Future Leader Scholarship, applicants must:

• Be current SEI students or young professionals aged 35 or younger.
• Be able to attend ASCE2027 in person.
• Have an interest in developing communication, networking and leadership skills.
• Submit the required written response.

Previous recipients of the SEI Future Leaders Scholarship are not eligible for that particular award. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

Membership Requirement

SEI membership is an important part of these scholarships.

ASCE states that student membership is free, and the first year after graduation is also free. Applicants should therefore check their membership status before submitting the scholarship application rather than assuming that conference registration alone makes them eligible. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

Application Materials

The exact requirements depend on the scholarship selected.

Young professional applicants are asked to provide:

• A one- to two-page résumé or CV.
• Two narrative statements.
• An essay addressing the scholarship requirements.

Future Leader applicants must provide a written response of no more than 400 words answering the question of how the civil engineering profession can better develop and support students and young professionals.

The response should identify why the issue matters, propose practical actions SEI could take and explain the expected benefits. Applicants are also required to support their claims with sources.

For the Future Leader scholarship, ASCE specifically states that the submitted response must be the applicant's own work and that AI should not be used to draft, revise or edit the submission. AI may be used for research or brainstorming, but the final response must be the applicant's own work. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}

How Applications Are Evaluated

For the Student Scholarship, the evaluation considers factors including:

• Career goals.
• Research and/or internship experience.
• Volunteer work and professional organization participation.
• GPA or stated financial need when applications are closely matched.

For the Future Leader Scholarship, evaluation focuses on:

• Originality and creativity of the idea.
• Understanding of the subject.
• Clarity and organization.
• Quality of writing.
• Evidence supporting the applicant's claims.

This means applicants should not rely solely on academic grades. Demonstrating involvement in engineering activities, research, internships, volunteering or professional organizations can strengthen the overall application. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}

Conference Experience

ASCE2027 will be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia from 1–5 March 2027.

The event combines technical sessions with professional-development activities, institute meetings, networking, exhibitions and opportunities to interact with engineering professionals across multiple disciplines.

The programme includes topics such as structural engineering, bridges and buildings, codes and standards, AI in civil engineering, environmental hazards, climate and extreme weather, infrastructure technology, transportation and innovative construction methods. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}

Participation Requirements

Recipients are expected to be active participants rather than simply attend the conference.

Depending on the scholarship, recipients may need to:

• Attend a pre-conference call and on-site welcome orientation.
• Participate in one or two SEI committee meetings.
• Attend the SEI Meet the Leaders event.
• Participate in SEI focus events.
• Take part in networking and mentoring activities.
• Submit feedback about the scholarship and conference experience.

Travel reimbursement is released after the conference once recipients have completed the required participation activities. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}

Application Advice

Select the scholarship that genuinely matches your career stage rather than choosing one solely because it offers the largest apparent benefit.

For the Student Scholarship, build your application around a clear connection between your engineering education, career plans and activities such as research, internships, volunteering or professional involvement. If you have limited professional experience, explain how attending ASCE2027 fits into your development as an emerging engineer.

For the Young Professional Scholarship, demonstrate what you have already contributed to engineering and what you intend to contribute to SEI. The committee is looking for people interested in becoming actively involved in the professional community, so describe specific ways you would participate rather than simply saying that you want to network.

For the Future Leader Scholarship, pay particular attention to the 400-word response. Rather than giving a broad discussion about the challenges facing young engineers, identify a specific problem and propose realistic actions SEI could take. Support important claims with credible sources and make sure the final submission reflects your own writing, as ASCE expressly prohibits AI from drafting, revising or editing this response.

Finally, remember that the financial support is reimbursement after the conference. Applicants who would be unable to pay the initial travel or accommodation costs themselves should factor this into their financial planning before accepting the scholarship.

Important Funding Note

This opportunity should not be advertised as a fully funded conference.

The scholarship provides complimentary registration and specified reimbursement for eligible travel and other costs, but ASCE states that it does not cover all expenses. The stated travel reimbursement is also based on U.S. travel conditions, which is particularly important for applicants considering international travel to Philadelphia.

International applicants should therefore confirm directly with SEI whether their particular travel circumstances qualify for reimbursement before relying on the award to finance attendance.

Application Timeline

Application Deadline: 20 November 2026

Notification of Results: 18 December 2026

Conference: 1–5 March 2027

Venue: Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA