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Blacks at Microsoft (BAM) Scholarships

Supporting the continued growth of black employees and encouraging careers in technology.
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Scholarship award

BAM will award 55 scholarships totaling $150,000.00 (USD):

  • 5 awards of $5,000:  
    Awards are renewable up to three years or until a bachelor’s degree is earned, whichever occurs first, on the basis of satisfactory academic performance maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, full-time enrollment, and continued enrollment in the eligible major. 
  • 50 awards of $2,500:  
    Awards are one-time only. Past recipients cannot reapply.

Eligibility requirements

The BAM Scholarship was created to enable Black and African American students to attend college and pursue a career in technology.  The goal is to empower future generations to do and be more. 

To be considered for a BAM Scholarship, you must:

  • Be a high school senior of African descent (for example, African American, African, Ethiopian, etc.).
  • Plan to attend a four-year college or university in the US in the fall immediately following your high school graduation.
  • Plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study in Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Information Systems, or one of the following Business programs – Business Administration, Finance, or Marketing at an accredited four-year college, university, in the United States, for the entire upcoming academic year.
  • Demonstrate a passion for technology.
  • Demonstrate leadership at school or in the community.
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent.
  • Require financial assistance to attend college.

International applicants are welcome to apply if they attend school in the US. 

Employees and children of Microsoft are ineligible.

Selection criteria

The program will use criteria including the consideration of academic performance, demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities, work experience, a statement of career and educational goals and objectives, unusual personal or family circumstances, an online recommendation, and a short essay.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to submit the following:

One letter of recommendation:

  • At least one letter must be from a faculty or staff member at your school. Letters of recommendation should be original and should not be duplicates of college recommendation letters. (Letters must be on letterhead.)
  • If you request a letter to be uploaded by your recommender, please ensure they have done so by the deadline (March 18, 2025 by 3pm CST). All materials must be received by the deadline.

Transcript:

  • A current, complete transcript of grades. Grade reports are not accepted. Transcripts must display student name, school name, and credit hours for each course and term in which the course was taken.
  • Note, if you are providing SAT or ACT test scores, and those scores are not listed on your high school transcript, you will need to upload a copy of your test score report(s) separately. If you are uploading a college transcript, those scores are not required.

One Essay

  • Describe how you plan to engage in the technology industry in your career. (2,000 characters- approximately 500 words or less). (If you have done exemplary work using technology during high school, please describe that also.)

Financial need will be considered. Recipients must demonstrate need.

How to apply

Our next scholarship cycle will open on January 22, 2025, and applications will be accepted until March 13, 2025.  

Applications will be submitted via the Scholarship America Hub. 

For questions, please email BAMScholarshipInfo@microsoft.com.

All materials must be submitted through the online application link. Your application is not complete unless all required materials are submitted electronically. Emailed or mailed documents will not be accepted.

Frequently asked questions

  • No. The BAM Scholarship is open to high school seniors only.

  • No, the BAM Scholarship is only for high school students enrolling full-time at a four-year accredited college or university in the U.S.

  • International applicants planning to study in the US can apply. However, if selected and you do not attend college in the US, you will become ineligible for the scholarship.

  • Yes, only applicants who plan to attend a school based in the USA will be considered for this scholarship.

  • Yes, all applications must contain a current, complete transcript of grades. Grade reports are not accepted. Transcripts must display the student name, school name, grades, and credit hours for each course and term in which each course was taken.

  • Yes, recipients of the renewable scholarship award are eligible to renew their scholarships for a duration of up to three years

  • To learn more about Microsoft Internships, please visit Early in profession | Microsoft Careers

  • Yes, you can take advantage of Microsoft’s student certification offer.

  • The Microsoft Employee Resource Groups (ERG) scholarships are managed by the ERG Community Experience Team and the Employee Giving Team. The Seattle Foundation and Scholarship America administer the scholarships.

  •  Please email: BAMScholarshipInfo@microsoft.com

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