2025 Progress Women in STEM Scholarships are Now Open

Apply now for the 2025 Women in STEM Scholarships and help shape the future of women in the sciences across Bulgaria, India and the United States

Progress is pleased to announce that we are now accepting applications for the 2025 Women in STEM Scholarships in three countries:

• Women in STEM Scholarship Program in Bulgaria
• Akanksha Scholarship for Women in STEM in India
• Mary Székely Scholarship for Women in STEM in the U.S.

All three scholarships will open on March 5, 2025, aligning with our celebration of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day.

These scholarships are part of the Women in STEM Scholarship Series, created to empower and support the next generation of female leaders in computer science, software engineering, IT and computer information systems across these regions.

As the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) highlights, while the gender gap in education attainment has narrowed in many areas of the world, the shift in STEM education remains slow. For tech companies, the responsibility to nurture and invest in the journeys of future women innovators and leaders in STEM has never been more critical. By administering these scholarships, Progress aims to provide the opportunities and resources needed to shape the trailblazers of tomorrow.

“At Progress, we recognize the critical role education plays in fostering innovation and shaping the future of the STEM industry,” said Yogesh Gupta, CEO, Progress. “Through this scholarship series, we are honored to support the academic journeys of outstanding young women who will help lead the next wave of technological advancements in STEM.”

Women in STEM Scholarship Program in Bulgaria

The Women in STEM Scholarship Program in Bulgaria (formerly known as Women in Tech Scholarship) offers two annual scholarships, each valued at BGN 3,000. This opportunity is open to young women in their second, third or fourth year at accredited universities.

Since its launch, the scholarship has supported many talented women. Our 2024 recipients, Violeta Kastreva and Teodora Savcheva are both excellent students and community actors. Violeta is a computer science student at Sofia University and Teodora is a robotics enthusiast, who is pursuing intelligent systems and AI at the Technical University of Sofia. They’re both outstanding examples of scholarship’s impact.

“The Progress Women in STEM Scholarship is more than financial aid,” Violeta said. “It's an acknowledgment of the hurdles women face and an investment in the potential we hold to drive progress. I'm eager to contribute to a future where technology is shaped by diverse voices, ensuring it serves everyone equitably.”

Akanksha Scholarship for Women in STEM in India

The Akanksha Scholarship for Women in STEM in India is a four-year, renewable scholarship offering up to INR 1,50,000 annually. Women who are residents of India and are currently studying for an undergraduate degree in computer science, computer information systems, software engineering or IT are eligible to apply.

Last year, we had three remarkable recipients—Prarthana R, Nikita S Raj Kapini and Garnepudi Bhavika. Prarthana and Nikita are both first-year students at the RV College of Engineering in Bengaluru while Garnepudi is pursuing an engineering degree at the Siddhartha Institute of Technology in Kanuru.

“Artificial intelligence and machine learning is a branch where we must commit ourselves to continuous learning,” Garnepudi said. “I am eager to learn and apply my skills to advance the industry.”

Mary Székely Scholarship for Women in STEM

The Mary Székely Scholarship for Women in STEM, established in honor of Progress co-founder Mary Székely, celebrates the legacy of the phenomenal leader and innovator who was deeply committed to her work and the people around her. This four-year scholarship offers $10,000 per year to cover tuition, fees and educational expenses. It is available to female residents of Massachusetts who are pursing or planning to pursue an undergraduate degree in computer science, software engineering, IT or computer information systems.

The 2024 recipients of this scholarship are Neidy Merida-Lopez and Emma Normand. Neidy is a computer science student at Vassar College in New York and Emma is majoring in computer science at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts.

Neidy said, “I’ve always been surrounded by coding, engineering, math and science. And as much as it surrounded me, I was so allured by it. This scholarship has done so much for me already. It has alleviated such a big burden and enables me to fully immerse myself in my education.”

Read more about the past recipients of our Women in STEM Scholarship Series here.

This year, applications for all three scholarships are due on April 11, 2025. To learn more and apply, visit this page.

Our Women in STEM Scholarship Series is an important part of our Corporate Social Responsibility program, Progress for Tomorrow. Beyond these scholarships, we’re also proud to support the scholarship program at the American University in Bulgaria to support women pursuing degrees in computer science. In 2024, our EUR 8,000 contribution went to Blagovesta Blagoeva, a computer science and psychology major.

Through these scholarships and ongoing contributions, Progress is committed to promoting the representation of women in STEM across the globe. We’re proud to support the bright individuals and vibrant communities that drive progress, helping to pave the way for the next generation of innovators and leaders.